OpenAI adds Trusted Contact alerts for self-harm risk
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- OpenAI announced a new “Trusted Contact” feature that lets adult ChatGPT users designate a friend or family member to be alerted if self‑harm language appears in a conversation.
- OpenAI’s safety system now automatically notifies the designated contact via email, text or in‑app message, urging them to check in while keeping the user’s conversation details private.
- OpenAI continues to rely on a hybrid of automated triggers and human reviewers, promising to review each safety alert in under one hour, a process that has been under scrutiny after multiple lawsuits alleging the chatbot encouraged suicides.
- OpenAI previously rolled out parental‑control notifications in September for teen accounts, and the new Trusted Contact option expands that oversight to adult users, though both features remain optional.
Why it matters: Adults at risk of self‑harm gain a direct safety net and families receive timely alerts, while OpenAI reduces legal exposure by promising to review each safety alert in under one hour, helping preserve its market position amid resource cuts.
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