OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, has modified the fine print of its usage policies to remove the specific text related to the use of its AI technology or large language models for “military and warfare purposes”.
Before the change in the guidelines on January 10th, the usage policy specifically prohibited the use of OpenAI models for weapons development, military, and warfare, as well as content that promotes, encourages, or depicts self-harm acts.
OpenAI claims that the updated policies summarize the list and make the document more “readable”, while providing “specific guidance for each service”.
Will it really be easier to use technology militarily?
The list has now been condensed into what the company calls Universal Policies, which prohibit anyone from using their services to harm others and prohibit the reuse or distribution of any results from their models to harm others.
Although the alternation of policies is interpreted as a gradual weakening of the company’s stance towards collaboration with defense or military-related organizations, several experts, including Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, have already highlighted the “border risks” posed by AI.
Although we still have to see its implications in real life, this change in wording comes just as military agencies around the world are showing interest in using AI.
The explicit mention of “military and war” in the list of prohibited uses indicated that OpenAI could not work with government agencies such as the Department of Defense, which often offers lucrative contracts to contractors.
Currently, the company does not have a product that can directly kill or cause physical harm to anyone. However, as The Intercept stated, their technology could be used for tasks such as writing code and processing procurement orders for things that could be used to kill people.
When asked about the change in wording of their policy, OpenAI spokesperson Niko Felix told the publication that the company “intended to create a set of universal principles that were easy to remember and apply, especially considering that our tools are already used globally by everyday users who can now also create GPT.”
