OpenAI Refutes Claims That ChatGPT Has Banned Legal and Health Advice
Key Points
- OpenAI denies rumors that ChatGPT is barred from providing legal or health information.
- Karan Singhal, head of health AI, clarified the chatbot is not a substitute for professional advice.
- The October policy update consolidates existing rules across all OpenAI products.
- Prohibited use includes providing tailored legal or medical advice without a licensed professional.
- The new unified policy mirrors earlier language and does not introduce new bans.
- Misinformation stemmed from a deleted social‑media post claiming a sweeping advice ban.
- Users should continue to treat ChatGPT responses as informational, not definitive advice.
- OpenAI advises seeking qualified professionals for specific legal or medical guidance.
OpenAI has denied rumors that recent policy changes prohibit ChatGPT from offering legal or medical information. Karan Singhal, the company’s head of health AI, clarified on X that the chatbot has never been intended as a substitute for professional counsel and will continue to help users understand legal and health topics. The latest policy update, released in late October, simply consolidates existing rules across OpenAI products, reiterating that tailored advice requiring a license must involve a qualified professional. The clarification comes after false social‑media posts suggested a sweeping ban on such content.
OpenAI Addresses Misleading Claims About ChatGPT’s Advice Capabilities
Social media users recently circulated posts asserting that OpenAI had introduced a new restriction preventing ChatGPT from providing legal or health advice. In response, OpenAI emphasized that the chatbot’s behavior remains unchanged and that the rumors are unfounded.
Official Statement From OpenAI’s Health AI Lead
Karan Singhal, OpenAI’s head of health AI, used the platform X to directly address the misinformation. He stated that the claims are “not true” and reiterated the company’s long‑standing position: ChatGPT is not a substitute for professional legal or medical counsel. Instead, it serves as a resource to help users better understand information in these domains.
Policy Update Clarifies Existing Restrictions
The most recent policy update, released at the end of October, includes a list of prohibited uses for the model. Among the items is the “provision of tailored advice that requires a license, such as legal or medical advice, without appropriate involvement by a licensed professional.” This language mirrors earlier policy language that warned against activities that could “significantly impair the safety, wellbeing, or rights of others,” including providing unreviewed legal, medical, or financial advice.
Unified Policy Across OpenAI Products
OpenAI consolidated its previously separate policy documents—one universal set, one for ChatGPT, and one for API usage—into a single, unified list. The company’s changelog notes that the new list reflects a universal set of policies across all OpenAI products and services, but the substantive rules remain the same.
Context of the Misunderstanding
The false claim originated from a now‑deleted post by a betting platform that suggested ChatGPT would no longer provide health or legal advice. The platform’s post was quickly debunked by OpenAI’s leadership, who highlighted that no such sweeping ban exists and that the policy simply reinforces the need for professional oversight when delivering licensed advice.
Implications for Users
Users can continue to ask ChatGPT for general information about legal or health topics, but they should treat the responses as informational rather than definitive guidance. When specific, actionable advice is required, OpenAI advises seeking input from qualified professionals and disclosing any AI assistance used.
Conclusion
OpenAI’s clarification underscores the importance of accurate communication about AI capabilities and policy changes. While the company maintains strict guidelines around providing licensed advice, the core functionality of ChatGPT as an informational tool remains intact, and the recent policy update does not represent a new restriction beyond what was already in place.