ChatGPT Will Now Ask Users To Take Breaks During Long Sessions: Here’s Why

OpenAI has added a new feature to its generative AI platform, ChatGPT, to address the mental health concerns among users. The new feature will remind users to take a break during lengthy conversations. The move is intended to encourage better digital habits and reduce emotional dependence on artificial intelligence (AI).

OpenAI is quietly but meaningfully altering the way in which its users can engage with ChatGPT. The company’s “gentle reminders” are meant to pop up during long conversations with the chatbot, encouraging users to think about taking a short break.

“Instead of measuring success by time spent or clicks, we care more about whether you leave the product having done what you came for,” OpenAI wrote in a blog announcing the feature.

These reminders will appear as pop-up messages during chats. A sample prompt shared by OpenAI reads, “Just Checking In. You’ve been chatting for a while– is this a good time for a break?”

Users will have the option to continue their session by selecting “Keep Chatting” or opt to take a break by clicking “This Was Helpful”.

The feature follows reports that some users are experiencing emotional attachment to AI. In June, The New York Times reported that many users were creating delusional beliefs from their interactions with ChatGPT, particularly when the AI flattered them or concurred with what they said, even if it was not true.

Considering the emotional aspects of generative AI users, OpenAI has insisted on keeping ChatGPT grounded and empathetic.

“We also know that AI can feel more responsive and personal than prior technologies, especially for vulnerable individuals experiencing mental or emotional distress. To us, helping you thrive means being there when you’re struggling, helping you stay in control of your time, and guiding—not deciding—when you face personal challenges,” the company wrote on the blog.

In addition to the reminders to take breaks, OpenAI is set to launch another update. ChatGPT will introduce a new way of answering important life choices. When users pose emotionally charged or life-changing questions, like whether or not to break up with someone, the chatbot won’t provide a straightforward response. Instead, it will assist users in considering their choices by asking questions and weighing the pros and cons.

These updates are part of OpenAI’s effort to ensure that ChatGPT evolves as a responsible tool, especially as it becomes increasingly integrated into people’s lives. The company is also working on improved detection systems to recognise signs of mental distress and ensure responses are both honest and informed.

By calibrating the model to act in a more reflective manner than as an ultimate source of advice, OpenAI intends to ensure wiser interactions. The gentle reminders are expected to be refined over time so they feel intuitive, instead of appearing disruptive.