Sam Altman warns some ChatGPT users are using AI in ‘self-destructive ways’ after GPT-5 backlash
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has warned that a lot of ChatGPT users are using AI in a self-destructive way. The comment from the OpenAI top executive comes shortly after the company faced backlash over discontinuing GPT-4o and other older models.
“If you have been following the GPT-5 rollout, one thing you might be noticing is how much of an attachment some people have to specific AI models. It feels different and stronger than the kinds of attachment people have had to previous kinds of technology (and so suddenly deprecating old models that users depended on in their workflows was a mistake).” Altman wrote in a post on X
“People have used technology including AI in self-destructive ways; if a user is in a mentally fragile state and prone to delusion, we do not want the AI to reinforce that. Most users can keep a clear line between reality and fiction or role-play, but a small percentage cannot. We value user freedom as a core principle, but we also feel responsible in how we introduce new technology with new risks.” he added
A lot of ChatGPT users have used the tool as a therapist or a life coach of sorts, Altman clarified that it wasn’t this use case that was problematic to him.
“This can be really good! A lot of people are getting value from it already today.” he noted
People ‘really trust’ advice from ChatGPT:
Altman said he was concerned about scenarios where users feel they are having a conversation with ChatGPT but are ultimately being nudged away from their long-term well-being.
He also noted that users really trust the advice coming from ChatGPT for “the most important decisions,” which makes him uneasy.
GPT-5 backlash and OpenAI’s U-turn:
OpenAI‘s discontinuation of its older GPT and reasoning models recently sparked a huge uproar on social media, especially as users complained that the new model gave shorter responses with less emotional depth than the previous ones.
Ultimately, OpenAI had to relent and restore the GPT-4o model for ChatGPT Plus users. Free users, however, will only have access to GPT-5.
