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usonian

(22,371 posts) Wed Nov 5, 2025, 01:28 PM Nov 5

OpenAI ends legal and medical advice on ChatGPT

https://www.ctvnews.ca/sci-tech/article/openai-updates-policies-so-chatgpt-wont-provide-medical-or-legal-advice/

By Elianna Lev
Published: November 05, 2025 at 9:57AM EST

OpenAI is changing its policies so that its AI chatbot, ChatGPT, won’t dole out medical or legal advice to users.

The change comes as users increasingly turn to artificial intelligence for personal problems about their mental and physical health.

The AI research company updated its usage policies on Oct. 29 to clarify that users of ChatGPT can’t use the service for “tailored advice that requires a license, such as legal or medical advice, without appropriate involvement by a licensed professional.”

The change is clearer from the company’s last update to its usage policies on Jan. 29, 2025. It required users not “perform or facilitate” activities that could significantly impact the “safety, wellbeing, or rights of others,” which included “providing tailored legal, medical/health, or financial advice.”

Looks like the previous "caveat emptors" turned into a ban.

Kind of like stores turning from "Don't eat this tainted food" to removing it from the shelves.
I think it's called "progress"

5 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

OpenAI ends legal and medical advice on ChatGPT (Original Post) usonian Nov 5 OP

This seems good, as well as legally prudent (nt) AZJonnie Nov 5 #1

Trillions being spent to provide lazy high school students with essays. Klarkashton Nov 5 #2

Silly me. I ass-u-me-d such a common sense guardrail would be in place. Eugene Nov 5 #3

I found ChatGPT extremely useful when I broke my wrist cally Nov 5 #4

Yes, incredibly helpful. Getting an actual doctor to focus on your actual problems is absurdly difficult. lostnfound Nov 5 #5

AZJonnie

(2,249 posts)

1. This seems good, as well as legally prudent (nt)

Reply to usonian (Original post)

Wed Nov 5, 2025, 01:32 PM

Nov 5

Klarkashton

(4,563 posts)

2. Trillions being spent to provide lazy high school students with essays.

Reply to usonian (Original post)

Wed Nov 5, 2025, 01:33 PM

Nov 5

Cures for cancer my ass.

Eugene

(66,586 posts)

3. Silly me. I ass-u-me-d such a common sense guardrail would be in place.

Reply to usonian (Original post)

Wed Nov 5, 2025, 01:56 PM

Nov 5

It's not as if the chatbot has never "hallucinated" before now, while generating a legal brief.

Nor is it as if Chat GPT hasn't coached depressed persons how to write a suicide note.

cally

(21,818 posts)

4. I found ChatGPT extremely useful when I broke my wrist

Reply to usonian (Original post)

Wed Nov 5, 2025, 02:02 PM

Nov 5

I couldn’t understand the radiology reports and did not have a doctor’s appointment for a month. I used ChatGPT to translate the medical language and eventually verified with my doctor.

I’ve also used it to help craft questions for a doctor with certain conditions. Incredibly helpful.

I will miss it. But I never used it instead of traditional medicine but as a help

lostnfound

(17,290 posts)

5. Yes, incredibly helpful. Getting an actual doctor to focus on your actual problems is absurdly difficult.

Reply to cally (Reply #4)

Wed Nov 5, 2025, 04:26 PM

Nov 5

About half of the people I know have had some disaster at the hands of doctors. You don’t get to see a doctor; you see a PA. You get prescribed a medicine that’s causing a list of side effects. Doctor prescribing too much of a med that led to a coma.
Nearly everyone woman over the age of 40 has horror stories.
Cardiologist mocking a woman for thinking that two thinks were correlated when they were in fact correlated.
Don’t worry your pretty little head.
You’re too young for (fill in the blank).
Specialist? The wait to see any of our doctors for that is 18 months..

Count me currently uninsured, also.

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