OpenAI Bans Imitation of US Presidential Candidates: Developer Suspended
OpenAI, the prominent artificial intelligence (AI) company, recently announced its regulations on the usage of its AI models, ChatGPT and DALL-E, for the upcoming 2024 United States presidential elections. To maintain integrity, OpenAI stated that its tools and services would not be permitted for creating imitations of real political candidates.
Soon after this policy was unveiled, OpenAI took action by suspending a developer who had utilized ChatGPT to create a chatbot imitating Dean Phillips, a Democratic candidate for the US presidency and a member of the House of Representatives. The chatbot, known as Dean.Bot, was developed by Delphi, a company backed by the fundraising organization We Deserve Better, which supports Phillips’ campaign.
Despite displaying disclaimers as an AI tool, Dean.Bot violated OpenAI’s guidelines regarding the creation of such chatbots. In response to concerns, We Deserve Better requested Delphi to discontinue using ChatGPT for the chatbot in favor of open-source AI models. Subsequently, Delphi removed the chatbot entirely when OpenAI suspended the developer.
OpenAI clarified its decision, stating that any user of their tools must adhere to the usage policies. The company highlighted that the developer’s account was removed due to a knowing violation of OpenAI’s API usage policies, which explicitly forbid political campaigning or impersonation without consent.
Interestingly, Matt Krisiloff, a co-founder of We Deserve Better, had previously served as chief of staff to OpenAI’s co-founder and current CEO, Sam Altman. While Krisiloff denied Altman’s involvement in the fundraising organization, he did acknowledge previous meetings between Krisiloff himself and Congressman Phillips.
OpenAI’s actions raise questions about the use of AI technology during political campaigns and the impact it can have on the democratic process. As the influence of AI in various sectors continues to grow, it becomes crucial to establish ethical guidelines and prevent its misuse, particularly in sensitive contexts such as political campaigns.
As the topic of AI regulation gains traction globally, stakeholders must strike a balance between the potential benefits of AI and the potential harm it may unwittingly cause. OpenAI’s decision to ban the imitation of US presidential candidates showcases the company’s commitment to responsible AI usage and highlights the importance of transparency and consent when deploying AI models in political contexts.
