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OpenAI has denied widespread social media rumors claiming that ChatGPT is now banned from providing health or legal information. The confusion arose after users misinterpreted a recent OpenAI policy update, which consolidated several older policy documents into a single document.
Responding to the viral claim, Karan Singhal, OpenAI’s Head of Health AI, wrote on Twitter: “Not true. Despite speculation, this is not a new change to our terms. Model behavior remains unchanged. ChatGPT has never been a substitute for professional advice, but it will continue to be a great resource to help people understand legal and health information.”
Singhal’s clarification came in response to a now-deleted post by betting platform Kalshi, which falsely claimed: “JUST IN: ChatGPT will no longer provide health or legal advice.”
The latest update to OpenAI’s usage terms, issued on October 29, restates existing restrictions rather than introducing new ones. It specifies that users should not employ ChatGPT for the “provision of tailored advice that requires a license, such as legal or medical advice, without appropriate involvement by a licensed professional.”
This statement aligns with OpenAI’s long-standing policy warning against activities that could “significantly impair the safety, well-being, or rights of others.” The company has always insisted that medical advice from ChatGPT or legal advice from ChatGPT outputs be treated as informational only, not as a substitute for certified professional consultation.
The misunderstanding stems from how OpenAI merged three separate policy documents - covering ChatGPT, API usage, and a universal policy - into a single, unified version. The company stated that this change was intended to establish a consistent set of rules across all OpenAI products, rather than introducing new restrictions.
According to OpenAI, the consolidation simply “reflects a universal set of policies across the company’s products and services.” The clarification directly contradicts rumors suggesting that the AI giant had imposed a stricter ban on ChatGPT health information.
OpenAI’s stance remains unchanged: ChatGPT still provides general explanations about AI and legal health advice, but is not intended to replace the role of certified practitioners. The message, as Singhal pointed out, is to continue the route of making the model informative and secure, helping users grasp complex topics while avoiding the areas that need licensed professional knowledge.
