Recent Disclosure: OpenAI Open to Adult-Oriented Application of AI
Recent disclosures reveal that OpenAI is exploring the creation of adult-oriented content via AI technologies with responsible intentions. OpenAI’s public draft guidelines signal a potential policy change to include a wider array of adult material through their ChatGPT and API resources.
At this time, OpenAI disallows generating sexually explicit or suggestive content. Nonetheless, discussions included in the company’s Model Spec document hint at the possibility of allowing such content within specific contexts. OpenAI comments on this matter: “We’re exploring whether we can responsibly provide the ability to generate NSFW content in age-appropriate contexts through the API and ChatGPT.” This exploration process includes an evaluation of “user and societal expectations of model behavior in this area.”
Navigating Ethical Concerns and Public Sentiments
The emergence of AI-generated explicit content raises ethical questions and concerns about potential harm. Recognized legal scholar Danielle Keats Citron has highlighted the widespread and damaging impact of violation of intimate privacy, including deepfake sex videos and synthesized images created without consent. Deepfake pornography, especially when it involves real individuals depicted without their agreement, has led to harassment and significant distress, disproportionately affecting women and girls.
OpenAI has asserted its commitment to disallowing unauthorized impersonation, pointing to the ongoing prohibition of nonconsensual explicit imagery. Despite this, there is ongoing apprehension regarding how OpenAI will regulate the generation of explicit content to prevent misuse. This concern is heightened by reports from 404 Media, which claims that AI tools from Microsoft were used to craft and circulate explicit images of the celebrity Taylor Swift across various online platforms.
In a bid for clarity and public engagement, OpenAI spokesperson Grace McGuire provided insight into the intention behind making the exploration process public, stating that the aim is to embrace openness, gather diverse insights, and prompt feedback. Niko Felix, another OpenAI representative, clarified: “We do not have any intention for our models to generate AI porn.”
However, Joanne Jang from OpenAI conceded the determination of any generated content being categorized as adult content could ultimately be subject to the users’ interpretation, as quoted, “Depends on your definition of porn.”
As debates over AI’s ethical development progress, complex questions arise concerning the role and governance of pioneering AI technologies. While OpenAI offers some insight into its ongoing explorations, the company proceeds cautiously with specifics. The larger community, including concerned individuals and industry experts, continues to weigh the need for balance between pioneering innovation and principled responsibility. Whether AI’s growth in this area will tilt more towards technological advances or ethical restrictions is a topic of considerable interest and importance.
