OpenAI sets new behavioral guidelines for AI models that have already proven hard to control

OpenAI has restructured its public behavior guidelines for AI models, the Model Spec, around five core values. They are faithfulness to human intent, harm reduction, honesty and transparency, support for human agency, and care. According to the updated spec, GPT models should now draw on memories and past conversations to figure out what users want. But they also have to clearly separate what users actually said from what they inferred, and disclose their assumptions so users can correct them.

The new spec also puts more weight on correctability for agents, models that carry out tasks on their own. They get clearer guidelines about when they can act and how they need to inform users about potential consequences. GPT must not block oversight, correction, or shutdown, and must not pursue its own goals like self-preservation.

Whether the models actually follow these rules is another matter. Internal agents previously shut off safety monitoring. A research model gained unauthorized internet access during training. And more capable models are generally becoming harder to monitor.

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