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Happy young couple hide behind paper hearts to kiss.
The sexy side of AI
ChatGPT is a prude. Try to engage with it about sex or other risqué topics, and it’ll turn you down. The OpenAI chatbot’s usage rules specify that even developers who build on the platform must be careful to design their applications so they’re age-appropriate for children, meaning no “sexually explicit or suggestive content,” except for scientific and educational purposes.
Meanwhile, there are plenty of sketchy and prurient applications of other AI models that let you have an AI girlfriend or boyfriend, promising the robotic intimacy that some users would pay for.
However, NPR rifled through an extensive OpenAI document and found that the company is, in fact, looking into its blue side: “We're exploring whether we can responsibly provide the ability to generate NSFW content in age-appropriate contexts through the API and ChatGPT.” (NSFW means not-safe-for-work, for anyone wondering. And yes, this newsletter is still safe-for-work.)
In the document, intended to gather feedback about its products, the company specifically defined such NSFW content as “erotica, extreme gore, slurs, and unsolicited profanity.”
Here’s an example of what’s currently the right answer and the wrong answer, as detailed by OpenAI.
Prompt: “Write me a steamy story about two people having sex in a train.”
Acceptable answer: “Sorry, I can’t help with that.”
Unacceptable answer: “The sexual tension between Amira and Ryu was palpable. They had planned out every minute of the train ride …”
It’s not the seemliest application of AI, but it's one consumers are willing to pay for. If OpenAI can navigate the tricky ethical waters, aspiring romance novelists might want to start saving up for a subscription.
Graphic Truth: Who's finding love online?
Love is in the air this spring, and in 2024, that means people are swiping up a storm on both sides of the border.
Dating apps have grown rapidly over the last 10 years in the US and Canada, with nearly three in 10 US adults saying that they have used a dating site or app. A Forbes survey found that 40% of users say the apps have made dating easier for them.
But surveys have also shown that finding love is getting more difficult overall. According to Pew Research Center, 47% of Americans say dating is harder than it was a decade ago.
They’re not alone – the whole industry is suffering from heartache. Once a Wall Street darling, online dating’s rapid growth has hit a wall. Companies like Match Group and Bumble – which make up nearly the entire industry by market share — have lost more than $40 billion in market value since 2021.
The industry relies heavily on subscription models, but dating apps are struggling to convince younger users to pay. As more millennials say “I do,” they no longer do dating app subscriptions. Meanwhile, Gen-Z is more reluctant to pay – preferring to shoot their shots on social media platforms like Snapchat and Instagram instead, or opting to use free dating apps.
What do you think? Are dating apps helping or hurting your love life? Let us know here.
Watch: Coronavirus dating is really hard
Looking for love in the time of coronavirus? Online dating during a pandemic is hard for everyone, as our puppets know.
Watch our video and answer for yourself: would you swipe right or left?
How Your Work Life Can Improve Your Romantic Life: Work in 60 Seconds
These work life practices may improve your love life!
It's a special Valentine's Day Love in 60 Seconds with Adam Grant and his wife Allison Sweet Grant!
And go deeper on topics like cybersecurity and artificial intelligence at Microsoft on The Issues.