By: Nick Gambino
While AI bots are going full steam ahead, improving at a mad rate, something needs to be done about the kids. There are already concerns with how AI interacts with people in general. Therefore, there have to be protections in place to make sure kids are engaging in a healthy way.
OpenAI has announced they are developing an underage teen friendly version of ChatGPT. This version considers the impact the chatbot has on the minor.
“First, we have to separate users who are under 18 from those who aren’t (ChatGPT is intended for people 13 and up),” Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI said in a blog post. “We’re building an age-prediction system to estimate age based on how people use ChatGPT. If there is doubt, we’ll play it safe and default to the under-18 experience.”
OpenAI may even opt to have users provide ID to verify their age in some countries or in particular cases. If they determine that the person is under the age of 18, a different set of features will kick in.
Once you activate this new version, the bot drops certain things from its conversational repertoire. That means no flirting and no talking about self-harm. This latter one includes speaking in fictional or hypothetical terms.
If the user does try to speak about self-harm subjects, ChatGPT may take steps to alert the user’s parents. It could also notify the authorities if deemed necessary.
Of course, all of this should and will be under the purview of the parents. OpenAI is introducing parental controls. They will be able to control how ChatGPT interacts with their child with certain rules and parameters in place. And like other platforms with parental controls, they’ll be able to set blackout hours where the child won’t be able to access the chatbot.
This teen friendly version of ChatGPT has been a long time coming and is necessary to keep kids safe.
