Interview Interruption
An OpenAI publicist tried to change the topic of CEO Sam Altman’s interview after an editor brought up a ChatGPT user’s suicide. When the journalist confronted Altman about the incident, the publicist warned about running out of time and asked to move on to another topic.
OpenAI PR Intervenes During Altman Interview
These are some of the hardest questions that we face or that anybody developing this technology faces, Altman said.
The Question on ChatGPT and Mental Health
The interruption came shortly after the interviewer asked Altman if he was familiar with an essay detailing a daughter’s conversations with ChatGPT before she took her own life. The query was cut short by the publicist before the full context could be addressed.
The publicist pressed to conclude the segment, citing time constraints and the need to wrap up the meeting, despite the interviewer's intent to finish the line of questioning.
Addressing Safety and User Data
Despite the pushback, the interview continued with questions about whether the company planned to use chat interactions to shape policies surrounding mental health crises. Altman acknowledged the difficulty of balancing user privacy with safety research, stating that releasing private data from difficult moments requires explicit consent.
An OpenAI spokesperson later explained that the interview had run over its allotted time, prompting the request to schedule additional discussion after the topic was initially addressed.
Support Resources
In the US:
Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741-741 from anywhere in the US, at any time, about any type of crisis.
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988.
The Trevor Project: Text START to 678-678 or call 1-866-488-7386.
Outside the US:
