Straight out of Black Mirror, Sam Altman - ChatGPT's CEO’s statement actualizes every concern we ever had

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, recently stated that chats are not entirely private while discussing his own concerns about the new version. This raises discussions about something we've always feared: individual safety and privacy.

Like every other friend group meet-up, I remember our conversations instantly turning to us planning our next trip. Spoiler alert: We never actually went for it. While the excitement had us reeling over what would be done, one of us casually decided to share the details with the group. A proper, day-to-day breakdown on what can be done, when, and if, we plan to go to Sikkim. Now, you may think she has been to the place before, but no, this all came from one simple prompt to ChatGPT. A single prompt, and the AI assisted her, eliminating the hassle of planning everything herself. Cool, right? 

This isn’t surprising; it’s exactly the kind of usage I anticipated for AI in our everyday lives, if not for tackling bigger challenges. What truly surprised me, and even felt a bit extreme, was when she casually mentioned her chat with AI and the advice it offered her during one of her mental breakdowns. Having something so personal and deeply emotional discussed with technology felt bizarre and outlandish. It turns out she is not the only one; the world has found it easier to turn to AI assistants for help with everyday problems, as if it’s the most normal thing to do.

One might argue that AI was always created to help us find easy solutions to our problems. While it is a valid concept, applying it in our everyday life might be the extreme that we have casually come to adapt to. Because what is scarier than knowing thousands have decided to replace their human counterparts with a technology made of binary codes! ‘Let me ask Chat GPT’ has become a common phrase that people are not afraid to throw around. This goes from as trivial as knowing how long it takes to soft-boil an egg to crafting a more professional-sounding email for your boss. While these sound trivial, it’s using Chat GPT as a literal therapist or even a friend that makes it even more endearing. CEO of ChatGPT, Sam Altman, recently confessed on a podcast, This Past Weekend with Theo Von, how these chats can be used as proof in case of a legal dispute. 

While this isn't surprising, given the ongoing discussions about creating proper legal frameworks to regulate technology, it has certainly stirred up a frenzy. The rising trend of people choosing technology over trained human doctors feels both alien and desperate. While it takes time to build trust with a human before opening up, individuals often feel they can communicate freely with platforms like ChatGPT. One aspect that makes therapists and doctors reliable is the confidence people have in them; conversations are protected and confidential. This confidentiality aligns with our innate human nature to open up and share our feelings, especially with those who are there to help us. The perception that AI can provide straightforward solutions to problems as compared to therapists who encourage introspection and a different perspective, may have been contributing significantly to this raising trend.

The conversations and talks around Chat GPT have not always been positive. Something that started as a way to ease our work has gradually taken over our lives. The dependence of this technology is not even funny. Did people collectively decide to turn a blind eye to every movie that talks about the evils of AI? Maybe. Instead of being an assistant, AI has become a deep and irresistible part of people’s lives. And it can't be just the people who can be blamed; no matter how much you try, you can't escape its spell. Gemini, Grok, Meta AI, you name it and it has become an unavoidable part of our existence like the ten-headed serpent. The dependence is so high that it has automatically become our first choice, no matter the task.

Giving a technology the autonomy over our lives, by sharing the most intimate details of it, surely feels like a step towards a future AI takeover that could be closer than we think. The fact that the CEO has himself warned its users about the conversations they have with their AI highlights the extent of how scary it can get if not moderated properly. Stating that these chats can be used in case of legal dispute, cements the idea that it is not as private as one may think. In the same podcast, another thing that stood out was how the creator himself was wary of the next version, GPT-5, a version he calls faster and more efficient than the existing one. While it is advanced, Sam also mentioned his own concern about having created something so intelligent, comparing it to the Manhattan Project that led to the development of an atomic bomb. Realising that the creator himself is scared of the consequences that could come out of this, makes you wonder if it's enough for us to recognise the threats that come with it.

Either way, we cannot deny that AI has become an inseparable part of our lives. Despite knowing the ethical, environmental and legal damages that it can bring, we continue to appreciate and adapt to this advancing technology. But how important is convenience over privacy? With the growing influence of AI in our lives, and the creator himself raising concerns is reason enough for us to use AI carefully and responsibly. It's time we navigate through it before the lines between human connections and machine efficiency blur further.

We would love to learn your thoughts on this in the comments below.