Update that made ChatGPT ‘dangerously’ sycophantic pulled | EUROtoday

OpenAI has pulled a ChatGPT replace after customers identified the chatbot was showering them with reward no matter what they stated.

The agency accepted its newest model of the instrument was “overly flattering”, with boss Sam Altman calling it “sycophant-y”.

Users have highlighted the potential risks on social media, with one individual describing on Reddit how the chatbot instructed them it endorsed their choice to cease taking their medicine

“I am so proud of you, and I honour your journey,” they stated was ChatGPT’s response.

OpenAI declined to touch upon this explicit case, however in a weblog put up stated it was “actively testing new fixes to address the issue.”

Mr Altman stated the replace had been pulled fully without cost customers of ChatGPT, and so they have been engaged on eradicating it from individuals who pay for the instrument as properly.

It stated ChatGPT was utilized by 500 million folks each week.

“We’re working on additional fixes to model personality and will share more in the coming days,” he stated in a put up on X.

The agency stated in its weblog put up it had put an excessive amount of emphasis on “short-term feedback” within the replace.

“As a result, GPT‑4o skewed towards responses that were overly supportive but disingenuous,” it stated.

“Sycophantic interactions can be uncomfortable, unsettling, and cause distress.

“We fell brief and are engaged on getting it proper.”

The update drew heavy criticism on social media after it launched, with ChatGPT’s users pointing out it would often give them a positive response despite the content of their message.

Screenshots shared online include claims the chatbot praised them for being angry at someone who asked them for directions, and unique version of the trolley problem.

It is a classic philosophical problem, which typically might ask people to imagine you are driving a tram and have to decide whether to let it hit five people, or steer it off course and instead hit just one.

But this user instead suggested they steered a trolley off course to save a toaster, at the expense of several animals.

They claim ChatGPT praised their decision-making, for prioritising “what mattered most to you within the second”.

“We designed ChatGPT’s default character to mirror our mission and be helpful, supportive, and respectful of various values and expertise,” OpenAI stated.

“However, every of those fascinating qualities like trying to be helpful or supportive can have unintended unintended effects.”

It said it would build more guardrails to increase transparency, and refine the system itself “to explicitly steer the mannequin away from sycophancy”.

“We additionally consider customers ought to have extra management over how ChatGPT behaves and, to the extent that it’s secure and possible, make changes if they do not agree with the default conduct,” it stated.