ChatGPT banned from giving health and legal information: Here's what OpenAI’s head of health AI said on the 'viral ban' claim

"Not True" ...: OpenAI has strongly refuted the viral social media reports claiming that recent updates to its usage policy ban ChatGPT from offering legal or medical advice. The company asserted that there has been absolutely no change in ChatGPT's core functionality and guidelines regarding sensitive advice. OpenAI’s Head of Health AI Karan Singhal took to Twitter to dismiss the circulating claims as “Not True.”

"Not true. Despite speculation, this is not a new change to our terms. Model behavior remains unchanged. ChatGPT has never been a substitute for professional advice, but it will continue to be a great resource to help people understand legal and health information," wrote Singhal in a post on Twitter. His comments were a direct reply to a now-deleted post by the betting platform Kalshi, which had falsely announced: “JUST IN: ChatGPT will no longer provide health or legal advice.”

What the change in ChatGPT's policy means

Singhal emphasized that the inclusion of language around legal and medical advice in ChatGP's latest terms is not a new addition to their usage restrictions. The policy update, rolled out on October 29, includes a section prohibiting the use of ChatGPT for the: “provision of tailored advice that requires a license, such as legal or medical advice, without appropriate involvement by a licensed professional.”

OpenAI confirmed this stance mirrors its previous policy, which cautioned users against activities that could “significantly impair the safety, wellbeing, or rights of others,” specifically listing the provision of “tailored legal, medical/health, or financial advice without review by a qualified professional and disclosure of the use of AI assistance and its potential limitations.”

OpenAI insists, three policies clubbed in one -- no other change

The recent policy shift involved unifying what were previously three separate policy documents (a universal policy, one for ChatGPT, and one for API usage) into a single, consistent list of rules across all OpenAI products and services. This means that OpenAI previously had three separate policies, including a “universal” one, as well as ones for ChatGPT and API usage. With latest update, the company now has one list of rules, which the company insists mean same as in the past.

OpenAI’s changelog noted this update was designed to “reflect a universal set of policies across OpenAI products and services.” Despite the consolidation, the actual restrictions regarding professional advice remain consistent with earlier guidelines, directly contradicting rumors of a new, stricter ban.