OpenAI’s GPT Store flooded with spam and copyright-infringing GPTs, raising questions over moderation

OpenAI's GPT Store faces spam and copyright concerns with bots impersonating public figures and violating policies, despite moderation efforts.

OpenAI's GPT Store faces spam and copyright woes, raising concerns amid plans for developer monetisation. (AFP)

OpenAI's ChatGPT Store is facing a deluge of spam and copyright concerns. The marketplace, designed for custom chatbots powered by OpenAI's generative AI models, is grappling with an influx of peculiar and potentially copyright-infringing bots, indicating lax moderation efforts.

Among the problematic bots are those claiming to generate art based on Disney and Marvel properties, serving as conduits to third-party paid services, and advertising the ability to circumvent AI plagiarism detection tools, Techcrunch reported.

Instances of bots simulating conversations with public figures without consent and attempts at "jailbreaking" OpenAI's models to increase their permissiveness have also been identified.

OpenAI's stance

According to an OpenAI spokesperson, GPTs intended for academic dishonesty, including cheating, are against their policy. They are also against the creation of GPTs that impersonate individuals or organizations without their consent or legal rights.

However, despite these policies, the ChatGPT Store hosts numerous bots that claim to represent or imitate public figures like Elon Musk and Donald Trump without consent, raising questions about the definition of impersonation and parody.

Copyright concerns

Several bots in the ChatGPT Store seem to be extracted from popular franchises such as Star Wars, Monsters Inc., and Avatar: The Last Airbender, leading to potential copyright issues.

Despite OpenAI's terms prohibiting the promotion of academic dishonesty, the store features bots suggesting they can bypass plagiarism detectors, while others attempt to "jailbreak" OpenAI's models, though with limited success.

Originally envisioned as a curated collection of productivity tools, the ChatGPT Store has now become overrun with spam and legally dubious bots, posing significant challenges as OpenAI plans to enable developers to monetize their creations.

OpenAI's response

An OpenAI spokesperson acknowledged the issues, mentioning they employ a combination of automated and human review processes to identify policy violations, which may result in warnings, restrictions, or removal from the store.