OpenAI has begun a phased rollout of an age verification system for ChatGPT users, in which some accounts are asked to confirm their age using a passport or other government-issued ID, according to company reference materials and user reports.
According to OpenAI’s new guidelines, ChatGPT uses an age prediction model to assess whether an account belongs to a user younger or older than 18. If the system determines that the user is under 18, additional restrictions on sensitive content are automatically applied to the account, and adults who have been mistakenly classified as teenagers can restore full access by verifying their age with a document.
In the published article Age prediction in ChatGPT, OpenAI specifies that in the event of an erroneous classification as under 18, an adult user can undergo verification by uploading a photo of their passport or other government-issued ID and a selfie via a Persona partner: after age confirmation, the account is switched to standard “adult” mode. The company separately notes that the feature is “rolling out gradually and may not be available yet” in some countries.
A separate help article, Why am I being asked to verify my age? describes an additional scheme for jurisdictions where age verification is required by law: when logging into ChatGPT, such users are shown a banner asking them to complete verification within 60 days, otherwise access will be blocked until the procedure is completed. For these checks, OpenAI uses a third-party service called Yoti, which, depending on the method chosen, may request a selfie, document upload, or verification via a mobile app.
The company explains that the development of the age prediction system and document checks is related to stricter requirements for the protection of minors when using AI services. In September, OpenAI announced the creation of a “separate experience” for users under the age of 18, where ChatGPT should not engage in flirtatious conversations or discuss topics related to causing harm, and in cases of clear threat to a teenager’s life, the system may notify parents or authorities.
OpenAI does not disclose the full list of countries and languages where the system is already active, limiting itself to the phrase “gradual implementation.” At the same time, users of English-language forums are reporting en masse that ChatGPT is asking them to provide ID and selfies, with some of them finding their access to the full functionality of the service restricted until verification or confirmation of their age is complete.
Deputy Head of the Department for Financial Technologies, Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence of the Presidential Administration of Uzbekistan Hikmatilla Ubaidullaev said that the first working meeting with OpenAI representatives was held. Valerie Fokke, Dips Patel, Shaig Ali, and Carlotta Serrano, Heads of Education and Partnerships, participated in the meeting.
The main topic of the talks was the introduction of ChatGPT EDU platform for teachers and students. This tool will allow using powerful OpenAI language models in a secure environment, creating personalized learning materials and own AI assistants.
The parties paid special attention to personalized learning, where artificial intelligence helps to adapt the educational process to the individual characteristics of each student, such as their pace, level of knowledge, and interests. Such a system will allow teachers to quickly identify gaps, create individualized assignments, automate work checking, and reduce bureaucratic procedures.
It was agreed that OpenAI will not create a separate program but will join the national initiative 1 Million AI Leaders, supplementing it with its own courses and expertise. This will allow Uzbek schoolchildren, students, and teachers to master artificial intelligence technologies at the level of world standards.
A separate area of discussion was the support of local startups. OpenAI expressed its readiness to consider providing preferential access to APIs and loans, as well as participation in hackathons and acceleration programs in Uzbekistan. This will create additional opportunities for young teams developing their own AI products in education and business.
The Uzbek side also presented plans to create a GPU cluster and an Uzbek-language data corpus for localization and adaptation of AI models. OpenAI representatives noted that their systems already demonstrate a high level of understanding of the Uzbek language and expressed interest in further cooperation in this area.
Following the meeting, the parties agreed to prepare a roadmap for cooperation in three key areas:
1) implementation of ChatGPT EDU at universities;
2) development of mass AI education;
3) support for startups and hackathons.
American OpenAI, the developer of the chatbot GPT, has become the most expensive private company in the world after the completion of a deal on the secondary sale of shares to investors with an estimated value of $500 billion, CNBC writes. The opportunity to sell their shares was given to employees of the company, who owned them for more than two years. A total of $6.6 billion worth of securities were sold, while the authorization provided for the sale of up to $10.3 billion.
The buyer of the shares was a consortium of investors, including Thrive Capital, SoftBank, Dragoneer Investment Group, MGX and T. Rowe Price.
OpenAI was valued at $300 billion during the investment round completed in April of this year.
The current calculation of OpenAI’s value makes it the most expensive private company in the world. Previously, SpaceX, valued at $456 billion, was considered to be such.
