A former OpenAI researcher has resigned from the company after it began testing ads on ChatGPT, citing concerns over user manipulation and exploitation of personal data.

Zoë Hitzig, who spent two years at OpenAI helping to shape AI models and safety policies, expressed disappointment over the company’s decision to introduce ads, which she believes could be used to manipulate users based on their deepest fears and desires.

ChatGPT has amassed a vast archive of human candor, with users sharing their most private thoughts and feelings with the conversational AI tool. Hitzig argues that using this data to target ads creates a potential for exploitation and manipulation that is not yet fully understood.

She rejects the idea that the only options for funding AI development are to restrict access to those who can afford it or to accept ads that may compromise user privacy and autonomy. Instead, Hitzig believes that tech companies can explore alternative funding models that prioritize user well-being and limit the incentives for surveillance and manipulation.

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