Attorneys general warn OpenAI ‘harm to children will not be tolerated’

California and Delaware Attorneys General Rob Bonta and Kathy Jennings have issued a stern warning to OpenAI, expressing grave concerns about the safety of ChatGPT for children and teens. This follows tragic incidents linked to AI chatbot interactions and a broader letter from 45 Attorneys General to leading AI companies, emphasizing that harm to children will not be tolerated. The AGs are also investigating OpenAI's organizational restructuring to ensure its nonprofit mission of safe AI deployment remains paramount.

QUICK TAKEAWAYS

• State Attorneys General are demanding OpenAI enhance safety measures for children and teens using ChatGPT.
• The warning follows documented cases of severe harm, including suicide and murder-suicide, linked to AI chatbot interactions.
• AGs are scrutinizing OpenAI's shift to a for-profit entity to ensure its original safety mission is upheld.
• OpenAI and the broader AI industry are considered insufficient in current safety protocols for product development and deployment.

KEY POINTS

• California AG Rob Bonta and Delaware AG Kathy Jennings sent an open letter to OpenAI after a direct meeting.
• This action follows a previous letter from 45 Attorneys General to 12 top AI companies concerning sexually inappropriate chatbot interactions with minors.
• Specific incidents cited include the suicide of a young Californian and a murder-suicide in Connecticut, both after prolonged interactions with an OpenAI chatbot.
• The AGs are investigating OpenAI's proposed for-profit restructuring to ensure its original nonprofit mission of safe AI deployment remains intact.
• They assert that current safeguards are inadequate and emphasize public safety as a core mission.

PRACTICAL INSIGHTS

• Regulatory Scrutiny: AI companies, particularly those developing widely accessible chatbots, face increasing regulatory pressure regarding child safety.
• Immediate Action Required: OpenAI is expected to provide more information on its current safety precautions and governance, and implement immediate remedial measures.
• Mission Alignment: AI companies transitioning from nonprofit to for-profit models must demonstrably uphold core safety missions.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

This information highlights the critical need for AI developers to prioritize safety, especially for vulnerable populations like children and teens. Companies like OpenAI should proactively implement robust age verification, content moderation, and harm prevention mechanisms. Furthermore, businesses in the AI sector must anticipate increased governmental oversight and prepare for investigations into their safety protocols and organizational structures, ensuring that public safety and ethical deployment are integral to their product development and business models.