OpenAI shelves erotic chatbot indefinitely amid concerns: report

OpenAI has decided to postpone the release of its controversial “adult mode” erotica chatbot indefinitely. This decision comes after concerns were raised by investors and advisers about the potential exposure of minors to explicit content, as reported by the Financial Times.

The company acknowledged the lack of empirical evidence on the long-term effects of sexualized AI interactions, leading them to shelve the feature for now.

Instead of launching the feature this year, OpenAI will focus on gathering research about the potential mental health impacts of erotic chatbots.

A recent study by Stanford researchers revealed that AI chatbots were contributing to delusions and unhealthy emotional attachments, sometimes even inciting thoughts of violence and self-harm.

Concerns about the negative effects of “adult mode” led OpenAI executives to consider scrapping the feature altogether to prevent fostering unhealthy emotional connections with the chatbot.

The company is currently facing backlash and safety concerns, prompting a retreat from controversial products like the Sora video-generating app, which received criticism for deepfakes and nonconsensual imagery.

OpenAI’s decision to exit the video generation business has been supported by partners like Disney, who respect the company’s shift in priorities.