OpenAI is contemplating a change in its policy that currently restricts adult content on its artificial intelligence (AI) tools. The company has released a comprehensive document to gather public opinion on its product guidelines. The document states, “We’re exploring whether we can responsibly provide the ability to generate NSFW content in age-appropriate contexts.” NSFW stands for “not safe for work,” which includes strong language, graphic violence, and adult content, all of which are mostly banned under OpenAI’s current rules.
Joanne Jang, a prominent figure at OpenAI, clarified the company’s intentions in a conversation with NPR. Jang emphasized that the goal is to initiate discussions about whether adult text and explicit images should always be banned in its AI products. She stated, “We want to ensure that people have maximum control to the extent that it doesn’t violate the law or other peoples’ rights.” However, she firmly ruled out enabling deepfakes.
Jang further clarified that OpenAI’s reconsideration of its NSFW policy does not imply the company aims to create AI adult content. However, she hinted that they might eventually allow users to generate images that could be classified as AI-generated adult content. This potential policy shift coincides with increasing worries about harmful AI imagery and deepfake adult content, which has seen a surge in recent times due to the rise of AI apps capable of creating explicit images.