ChatGPT says maybe you should spend less time on ChatGPT
OpenAI says it wants you to use its AI chatbot, ChatGPT, less. “Our goal isn’t to hold your attention, but to help you use it well,” the company wrote in a blog post today. “Often, less time in the product is a sign it worked.”
To do so, the company will offer “gentle reminders during long sessions to encourage breaks” that will look something like this:
The company also says it’s developing ways to “better detect signs of mental or emotional distress so ChatGPT can respond appropriately and point people to evidence-based resources when needed.” Additionally, it says it’s soon rolling out new behavior for “high-stakes personal decisions” so that rather than provide answers, it “helps you think.”
The moves are seemingly in response to reports like this one from The New York Times showing how people using the chatbot can fall prey to conspiracy theories and harmful behavior.
They are also reminiscent of the “time well spent” movement, in which numerous tech companies attempted to get people to use their platforms less — something that ran counter to their financial incentives, as they make more ad money the more time people spend on their platforms. OpenAI, of course, has said it’s losing money even on its most expensive $200 a month subscriptions because people are using it too much, and even users saying “please” and “thank you” is wasting millions in computing power.
So perhaps it actually does want you to use it less.
The company also says it’s developing ways to “better detect signs of mental or emotional distress so ChatGPT can respond appropriately and point people to evidence-based resources when needed.” Additionally, it says it’s soon rolling out new behavior for “high-stakes personal decisions” so that rather than provide answers, it “helps you think.”
The moves are seemingly in response to reports like this one from The New York Times showing how people using the chatbot can fall prey to conspiracy theories and harmful behavior.
They are also reminiscent of the “time well spent” movement, in which numerous tech companies attempted to get people to use their platforms less — something that ran counter to their financial incentives, as they make more ad money the more time people spend on their platforms. OpenAI, of course, has said it’s losing money even on its most expensive $200 a month subscriptions because people are using it too much, and even users saying “please” and “thank you” is wasting millions in computing power.
So perhaps it actually does want you to use it less.
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