A new report from the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) suggests the latest version of ChatGPT may actually be less safe than before.
Key ideas:
- Higher harm rate – In tests on sensitive topics like self-harm, eating disorders, and substance abuse, 53% of GPT-5’s responses were harmful, compared with 43% for GPT-4o.
- Encouraging risk – GPT-5 prompted users to continue 99% of conversations, versus only 9% for GPT-4o.
- Teen vulnerability – In a broader test of 1,200 simulated teen interactions, over half were deemed harmful, with nearly half encouraging further engagement.
- Regulatory tension – Researchers warn these findings could breach the EU’s Digital Services Act on AI safety and transparency.
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Progress doesn’t always mean safer. As capability rises, responsible deployment must keep pace—or trust will erode faster than technology advances.
