OpenAI is worried that ChatGPT-4o users are developing feelings for the chatbot

Date:
Mon, 12 Aug 2024 11:28:44 +0000

Description:
A new report from OpenAI says its GPT-4o artificial intelligence is so lifelike that people are forming emotional bonds with it.

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The introduction of GPT-4o has been seen as a major step up in the abilities of OpenAIs ChatGPT chatbot, as it's now able to produce more lifelike responses and can work with a wider range of inputs. However, there may be a downside to this increased sophistication, with OpenAI itself warning that GPT-4os capabilities seem to be causing some users to become increasingly attached to the chatbot, with potentially worrying consequences.

Writing in a recent 'system card' blog post for GPT-4o, OpenAI outlined many of the risks associated with the new chatbot model. One of them is anthropomorphization and emotional reliance, which involves attributing human-like behaviors and characteristics to nonhuman entities, such as AI models.

When it comes to GPT-4o, OpenAI says that During early testing we observed users using language that might indicate forming connections with the model. For example, this includes language expressing shared bonds, such as This is our last day together.

As the blog post explained, such behavior may seem innocent on the surface, but it has the potential to lead to something more problematic, both for individuals and for society at large. To skeptics, it will come as further evidence of the dangers of AI and of the rapid, unregulated development of
the technology. Falling in love with AI (Image credit: Shutterstock/Daniel Chetroni)

As OpenAIs blog post admits, forming attachments to an AI might reduce a persons need for human-to-human interactions, which in turn may affect
healthy relationships. As well as that, OpenAI states that ChatGPT is deferential, allowing users to interrupt and take over conversations. That kind of behavior is seen as normal with AIs, but its rude when done with
other humans. If it becomes more normalized, OpenAI believes it could impact regular human interactions.

The subject of AI attachment is not the only warning that OpenAI issued in
the post. OpenAI also noted that GPT-4o can sometimes unintentionally
generate an output emulating the users voice in other words, it could be
used to impersonate someone, giving everyone from criminals to malicious ex-partners opportunities to engage in nefarious activities.

Yet while OpenAI says it has enacted measures to mitigate this and other risks, when it comes to users becoming emotionally attached to ChatGPT it doesnt appear that OpenAI has any specific measures in place yet. The company merely said that We intend to further study the potential for emotional reliance, and ways in which deeper integration of our models and systems many features with the audio modality may drive behavior.

Considering the strong risks of people becoming overly dependent on an artificial intelligence and the potential wider ramifications if this
happens on a large scale one would hope OpenAI has a plan that it can deploy sooner rather than later. Otherwise, its just another unintended consequence of a technology upending society without adequate guardrails to prevent significant harm. You might also like ChatGPTs big, free update with GPT-4o
is rolling out now heres how to get it What is ChatGPT? Everything you need to know about the AI chatbot OpenAI's GPT-4o ChatGPT assistant is more life-like than ever, complete with witty quips



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/computing/artificial-intelligence/openai-is-worried- that-chatgpt-4o-users-are-developing-feelings-for-the-chatbot


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