OpenAI has shared new data showing that a significant number of people are using ChatGPT to discuss serious mental health concerns. The company reported that around 0.15 per cent of its weekly active users have conversations that include clear signs of suicidal thoughts. With more than 800 million weekly active users on the platform, this number translates to over one million people every week.
The company also noted that a similar proportion of users show a strong emotional dependence on the chatbot. In addition, hundreds of thousands of conversations each week reportedly show signs of psychosis or mania. OpenAI said these cases are extremely rare but still involve very large numbers of individuals due to the scale of the platform.
The release of this information was part of an announcement highlighting improvements to ChatGPT’s safety measures for handling mental health emergencies. OpenAI said it worked with more than 170 mental health experts to strengthen responses in such situations. The company stated that internal testing found the latest version of the model performs better than previous versions.
According to OpenAI, the updated model produced more helpful responses to mental health concerns about 65 per cent more often than the earlier version. In specific testing of conversations involving suicidal thoughts, the new model showed 91 per cent compliance with safety behaviour guidelines, compared to 77 per cent previously.
The issue remains sensitive as OpenAI is currently facing a lawsuit from the parents of a 16 year old boy who spoke about suicidal thoughts with the chatbot before taking his life. OpenAI’s chief executive recently said that the company has worked to “mitigate the serious mental health issues” on the platform. The data shared by the company suggests progress, while also revealing the scale of mental health struggles being shared with AI tools.
Also read: Viksit Workforce for a Viksit Bharat
Do Follow: The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News LinkedIn Account | The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News Facebook | The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News Youtube | The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News Twitter |The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News Whatsapp Channel | The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News Instagram
About us:
The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News is a premier platform dedicated to delivering latest news, updates, and insights from the tech industry. With its strong foundation of intellectual property and thought leadership, the platform is well-positioned to stay ahead of the curve and lead conversations about how technology shapes our world. From its early days as CIO News to its rebranding as The Mainstream on November 28, 2024, it has been expanding its global reach, targeting key markets in the Middle East & Africa, ASEAN, the USA, and the UK. The Mainstream is a vision to put technology at the center of every conversation, inspiring professionals and organizations to embrace the future of tech.
