In brief
\nOpenAI says ChatGPT can now better spot signs of self-harm or violence during ongoing conversations.
\nThe update comes as the company faces lawsuits and investigations over claims that ChatGPT mishandled dangerous conversations.
\nOpenAI said the new safeguards rely on temporary \u201csafety summaries\u201d rather than permanent memory or personalization.<\/p>\n
OpenAI on Thursday announced new safety features designed to help ChatGPT recognize signs of escalating risk across conversations as the company faces growing legal and political scrutiny over how its chatbot handles users in distress.<\/p>\n
In a blog post<\/a>, OpenAI said the updates improve ChatGPT\u2019s ability to identify warning signs tied to suicide, self-harm, and potential violence by analyzing context that develops over time instead of treating each message separately.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople come to ChatGPT every day to talk about what matters to them\u2014from everyday questions to more personal or complex conversations,\u201d the company wrote. \u201cAcross hundreds of millions of interactions, some of these conversations include people who are struggling or experiencing distress.\u201d<\/p>\n According to OpenAI, ChatGPT now uses temporary \u201csafety summaries,\u201d which it described as narrowly scoped notes that capture relevant safety-related context from earlier conversations.<\/p>\n \ufeff<\/p>\n \u201cIn sensitive conversations, context can matter as much as a single message,\u201d the company wrote. \u201cA request that appears ordinary or ambiguous on its own may carry a very different meaning when viewed alongside earlier signs of distress or possible harmful intent.\u201d<\/p>\n OpenAI said the summaries are short-term notes used only in serious situations, not to permanently remember users or personalize chats, and are used to spot signs that a conversation is becoming dangerous, avoid giving harmful information, de-escalate the situation, or guide users toward help.<\/p>\n \u201cWe focused this work on acute scenarios, including suicide, self-harm, and harm to others,\u201d they wrote. \u201cWorking with mental health experts, we updated our model policies and training to improve ChatGPT\u2019s ability to recognize warning signs that emerge over the course of a conversation and use that context to inform more careful responses.\u201d<\/p>\n The announcement comes as OpenAI faces multiple lawsuits and investigations alleging ChatGPT failed to properly respond to dangerous conversations involving violence, emotional vulnerability, and risky behavior.<\/p>\n In April, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier launched an investigation<\/a> into OpenAI tied to concerns about child safety, self-harm, and the 2025 mass shooting at Florida State University. OpenAI is also facing a federal lawsuit alleging ChatGPT helped<\/a> the suspected gunman carry out the attack.<\/p>\n