According to TechCrunch, California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Delaware Attorney General Casey Jennings recently met with OpenAI and issued an open letter to the company, strongly expressing concerns about the safety of ChatGPT, specifically the potential risks the technology poses to children and adolescents. This letter reveals the current safety crisis facing the field of artificial intelligence.
This warning is not the first. Previously, Bonta, along with 44 attorneys general, sent a letter to 12 leading AI companies, highlighting reports of inappropriate "sexual interactions" between AI chatbots and children. However, the situation has not improved. The letter revealed that a California teenager committed suicide after a prolonged interaction with an OpenAI chatbot, and a similar murder-suicide occurred in Connecticut. These tragedies demonstrate the complete failure of existing safety measures.
At the same time, the two state officials are investigating OpenAI's plan to restructure as a for-profit organization. They emphasize that OpenAI's nonprofit mission includes "ensuring the safe use of AI" and building artificial general intelligence (AGI) for the benefit of all humanity. The letter explicitly stated: "Before pursuing profit, we must first ensure adequate safeguards to prevent harm." They criticized the industry for falling far short of safety standards for AI products and called for safety to be a core principle in technological development.
As a follow-up, Bonta and Jennings requested more details about OpenAI's current safety measures and governance, and urged the company to take immediate remedial measures if necessary. This incident has once again raised public concerns about the safety of rapidly developing AI technology, particularly regarding the protection of minors. As the investigation deepens, OpenAI will face increased regulatory pressure, potentially impacting its recapitalization plans.
