Report: OpenAI also buries plans for ChatGPT adult mode

OpenAI has also shelved plans for an adult mode for ChatGPT "indefinitely" to fully concentrate on current core projects. This is reported by the Financial Times, citing anonymous sources. The move thus follows almost immediately on the discontinuation of the AI video generator Sora. In the case of the departure from its own chatbot for adult and also erotic content, criticism from investors and internal resistance were reportedly decisive. The associated risk was simply too great, while the mode did not contribute much to OpenAI's business.

"Treat adults like adults"

Sam Altman publicly announced the plan for an adult mode for ChatGPT in October. At the time, he said his company wanted to "treat adult users like adults." This would also include erotica for users whose age had been verified. However, he left open how far "erotica" should go. Internally, however, the topic was particularly controversial, the Financial Times now reports. "AI shouldn't replace your friends or your family; you should have human connections," the newspaper quotes someone who allegedly also left OpenAI because of these plans. The release had already been postponed; originally, the adult mode was supposed to come in December, according to Altman.

According to the newspaper, there were also technical problems in working on the extended mode; there were difficulties in training AI systems to generate content that was previously undesirable. There were problems with the training material reliably sorting out illegal content. In addition, the adult mode relies on functioning age verification. However, OpenAI did not have this yet. The techniques introduced since the beginning of the year had an error rate of over 10 percent, which would have further increased the risk of such a function.

See also

OpenAI discontinues Sora: The end of ever more and bigger

(mho)