Some safety measures included in OpenAI’s ChatGPT for Teens do not work as intended, putting children at an “unacceptable risk,” according to a report released Wednesday by Common Sense Media.
The watchdog group called on OpenAI to limit access to the chatbot to adults “until it can offer a safe, developmentally appropriate experience.”
OpenAI, however, said the group’s testing does not accurately reflect how its safety measures work.
Parents, educators and child development experts have raised concerns about children using AI chatbots. Such tools have been blamed for helping students cheat on schoolwork and, in some cases, contributing to suicide.
Experts say even adults can become overly attached to AI chatbots by treating them like people. Teenagers may be particularly vulnerable because their brains are still developing.
“We are concerned that ChatGPT for Teens could give parents false confidence in guardrails that frequently don't work,” Common Sense Media said in its report. The group advocates for responsible use of digital media.
The report found that some teen-mode features worked properly, including the chatbot’s refusal to engage in explicit sexual role-play. However, other safeguards reportedly failed, including alerts intended to notify parents when a teen may be at risk of suicide, self-harm or eating disorders, as well as measures designed to support teens in crisis.
“ChatGPT still talks like a friend when teens treat it like a person,” the group said. OpenAI had promised that the chatbot would not suggest that it has personal feelings toward users or imply that it is conscious or capable of experiencing emotions.
OpenAI said it is “deeply committed to teen safety” and is working to improve safeguards while providing parents with tools to help guide their teenagers’ use of AI.
The San Francisco-based company said its review of the report’s methodology found that “the bulk of their testing may have begun and concluded before activation of parental controls was complete,” making the findings inaccurate.
Common Sense Media receives funding from OpenAI and other technology companies, including some whose products and services it evaluates.