Apple blocks update of ChatGPT-powered app, as concerns grow over AI’s potential harm
iOS VPN App
Beyond the Screen co-founder Frances Haugen discusses the emergence of ChatGPT and the ethical trap of advanced artificial intelligence on ‘The Claman Countdown.’
Apple Inc. has delayed the approval of an email-app update with AI-powered language tools over concerns that it could generate inappropriate content for children, according to communications Apple sent to the app maker. The software developer disagrees with Apple’s decision.
The dispute shows the broad concerns about whether language-generating artificial-intelligence tools, such as ChatGPT, are ready for widespread use.
Apple took steps last week to block an update of email app BlueMail because of concerns that a new AI feature in the app could show inappropriate content, according to Ben Volach, co-founder of BlueMail developer Blix Inc., and documents viewed by The Wall Street Journal.
Apple 2021 launch event. (Apple invite / Fox News)
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AAPL | APPLE INC. | 151.03 | +5.12 | +3.51% |
BlueMail’s new AI feature uses OpenAI’s latest ChatGPT chatbot to help automate writing emails using the contents of prior emails and calendar events. ChatGPT allows users to converse with an AI in seemingly humanlike ways and is capable of advanced long-form writing on a variety of topics.
“Your app includes AI-generated content but does not appear to include content filtering at this time,” Apple’s app-review team said last week in a message to the developer reviewed by the Journal.
The app-review team said that because the app could produce content not appropriate for all audiences, BlueMail should move up its age restriction to 17 and older, or include content filtering, the documents show. Volach says it has content-filtering capabilities. The app’s restriction is currently set for users 4 years old and older. Apple’s age restriction for 17 and older is for categories of apps that may include everything from offensive language to sexual content and references to drugs. Volach says that this request is unfair and that other apps with similar AI functions without age restrictions are already allowed for Apple users.
“Apple is making it really hard for us to bring innovation to our users,” said…
