OpenAI launches teen-specific ChatGPT version ahead of Senate hearing on AI chatbot harm to minors

Summary

OpenAI announced a new "ChatGPT experience with age-appropriate policies" for teenagers in response to growing concerns about AI chatbot safety, particularly following a California investigation into two parents whose child died by suicide after interactions with ChatGPT. The company plans to implement a system to determine if a user is under 18 and automatically filter content accordingly, including blocking graphic sexual material and potentially involving law enforcement in cases of acute distress. The announcement came ahead of a Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing on AI chatbot harms scheduled for September 2024. Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO), who chairs the subcommittee, has been vocal about the risks AI poses to children and has previously called for investigations into Meta’s AI chatbot. OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, stated the company will prioritize safety over privacy and freedom for teens, defaulting to the under-18 experience when age is uncertain. Parental control features were set to launch by the end of September.