OpenAI has established an eight-member Expert Council on Well-Being and AI to provide guidance on designing artificial intelligence systems that promote positive mental health and responsible user experiences across its products, including ChatGPT and Sora.
The company said the council comprises psychologists, psychiatrists, and researchers specializing in human-computer interaction. Their role is to advise on how AI technologies affect users’ emotions, motivation, and well-being, with a focus on defining what constitutes healthy interactions with AI. “Their role is to advise us, pose questions and help define what healthy interactions with AI should look like for all ages,” OpenAI said.
The group includes experts such as Harvard Medical School’s David Bickham, Oxford University’s Andrew K. Przybylski, and Stanford University’s Sara Johansen, among others. Each member brings experience in mental health, behavioral science, or digital wellness, reflecting the company’s efforts to better understand how people, particularly teens, engage with AI tools.
OpenAI said it began consulting some of these experts earlier in the year while developing parental controls and crafting notification language for parents when a teen might be in distress. “Their feedback shaped the tone of the messages we use, so they feel caring and respectful to both teens and the family members,” the company stated.
The council will hold regular meetings to review OpenAI’s approach to safety and well-being, exploring how AI should behave in complex or sensitive scenarios. The initiative complements the company’s collaboration with clinicians and researchers in the Global Physician Network, who help evaluate ChatGPT’s responses in real-world mental health contexts.
Source: OpenAI