Is artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots good for you is a question that has been asked more and more frequently following several cases in which users were injured or killed. In the United States, OpenAI has been sued by the parents of a ChatGPT customer who claim the chatbot caused their child to commit suicide.
In April, Adam Raine committed suicide after asking ChatGPT to suggest techniques he could use. He managed to bypass ChatGPT 4o's security system that prevented such questions from being answered by saying he was doing research for a story he was writing.
In addition to conducting suicide research, Raine also used ChatGPT to compose his final notes. The lawsuit was filed after his parents managed to access the conversation logs of the deceased.
In a statement published on the official OpenAI blog, they will now advise users to seek mental health help if questions related to suicide are asked. In addition, human content moderators will be given the power to contact authorities and ban accounts if such questions are asked.
Finally, ChatGPT's security system has been enhanced to prevent it from being intercepted by users using several evasive techniques shared on social media.
This week, the majority of state attorneys general in the United States sent letters warning 11 companies that offer chatbot services that they could be sued if their services negatively impact underage users. Meta was criticized last week after Meta AI was found to have lewd conversations with underage users.
In addition to the issue of content that is incompatible with underage users and suicide, AI chatbots also have problems providing dangerous information. A ChatGPT user accidentally suffered poisoning after taking bromine salt that the chatbot recommended to maintain health.
Also viral two weeks ago, tourists complained after being denied boarding a plane for not applying for a travel visa because ChatGPT said it was not needed. Closer to home in Malaysia, the MyGov chatbot system was shut down for giving the wrong answer to the national cabinet line.
