OpenAI restricts ChatGPT from giving medical, legal, and financial advice

ChatGPT will now serve purely as an educational tool, as OpenAI bans the chatbot from providing any personal medical, legal, or financial guidance following reported misuse incidents.

OpenAI has announced a major shift in how ChatGPT can be used, officially restricting the chatbot from offering personalized medical, legal, or financial advice. The new policy, effective since October 29, is aimed at ensuring user safety and preventing misuse.

According to reports, the updated terms of use now define ChatGPT as strictly an “educational tool”, and not a consultant. The chatbot will no longer provide detailed or personalized advices, such as suggesting medications, dosages, or investment strategies.

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Under the new guidelines, ChatGPT will instead focus on explaining general concepts, outlining basic mechanisms, and advising users to consult certified professionals for individual concerns. This means the AI can still describe how things work in general but cannot recommend what someone should personally do in a given situation.

The move comes after several reported incidents of harm linked to users relying on AI-generated guidance. One widely cited case involved a 60-year-old man who was hospitalized after following what he claimed was ChatGPT’s advice to replace table salt with sodium bromide, a toxic compound. The man suffered severe psychiatric symptoms, including paranoia and hallucinations, and was admitted for three weeks.

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With these new restrictions, OpenAI aims to prevent potential risks associated with misinformation and ensure ChatGPT remains a reliable learning aid rather than a decision-making substitute for expert advice.