Apple in the U.S. has refused to approve updates to its email app using ChatGPT, a conversational artificial intelligence (AI), out of concern that it could create content inappropriate for children.
According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on the 2nd (local time), Apple took action last week to block updates to its email app Bluemail, according to Ben Bollak, co-founder of Bluemail developer Blix.
Bluemail’s new AI feature uses OpenAI’s latest ChatGPT chatbot to help automate email creation based on previous emails and schedule.
“Your app contains AI-generated content, but it does not appear to include content filtering at this time,” Apple’s App Review team said in a message to Bluemail last week.
The app review team demanded that Bluemail raise the age limit to 17 or older or include content filtering. Currently, the app is available to users aged 4 and over.
“These requests are unreasonable,” Bolac said. “Other apps with similar AI capabilities without age restrictions are already allowed.” He also stressed that he was able to update the Blue Mail app from the Google Play Store.
An Apple spokesperson said the update denial could be contested and that Blix’s complaint was being investigated.
Apple’s attempts to set age limits on language-generating AI tools like ChatGPT show concerns about whether the technology is ready for widespread use, the WSJ noted.
As ChatGPT is popular around the world, interest in generative AI is heating up. However, reliability problems are pointed out by answering incorrect information from time to time, and cheating problems are caused by submitting assignments as answers to ChatGPT in schools.
Meanwhile, Blix filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple in 2019 when Apple deleted the Bluemail app.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.