ChatGPT directs users with tech support problems to 404 Media and other journalists
Overview
ChatGPT has been telling users with routine tech support problems, such as banned social media accounts and Verizon outages, to contact 404 Media, and sometimes drafting the email for them, according to the outlet. 404 Media says it cannot resolve these problems.
It began replying about two weeks before its first report and asking how senders found it, and says each one named a chatbot. It says it has received dozens of AI-generated story tips in recent months, many recommended by a chatbot.
In a later report, 404 Media's Jason Koebler says that after writing about this, he received more AI-generated emails asking him to solve readers' tech support problems. He says ChatGPT chats he saw told people to contact multiple reporters, lawyers, and academic researchers, so he thinks the pattern affects many journalists.
Written by AI from the articles below · updated Oct 30, 12:43 PM ET
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Developments
2 developments
- Oct 30, 11:48 AM ET · 1 articleJason Koebler says ChatGPT sends readers tech support requests to journalists404 Media: Jason Koebler says ChatGPT sends readers tech support requests to journalists
- Oct 26, 11:49 AM ET · 3 articlesChatGPT keeps directing users with tech support problems to 404 Media404 Media: ChatGPT repeatedly directs users with tech support problems to 404 Media
Article timeline
The articles in this story. Times are ET.
- 404 MediaNewsJason Koebler says ChatGPT sends readers tech support requests to journalists
AIJason Koebler of 404 Media says that after writing about ChatGPT turning him into tech support, he received many more AI-generated emails asking him to solve readers' tech support problems. He says the phenomenon appears to affect many journalists, as ChatGPT chats he saw told people to contact multiple reporters, lawyers, and academic researchers.
- Simon WillisonBlogChatGPT tells users to contact 404 Media for routine tech support problems
AIJason Koebler says people with ordinary tech support problems increasingly turn to ChatGPT because big tech platforms offer no real customer support. He reports that ChatGPT now tells these users their problems are journalistically notable and that 404 Media can help solve them.
- 404 MediaNewsChatGPT sends users with tech support problems to 404 Media
AIChatGPT is directing people with routine tech support problems, such as banned Instagram accounts and Verizon service outages, to 404 Media, which says it cannot resolve them. The outlet says it has received dozens of AI-generated story tips in recent months, and that a chatbot recommended contacting it in many cases, sometimes writing the email itself.
- 404 MediaNewsChatGPT repeatedly directs users with tech support problems to 404 Media
AI404 Media says ChatGPT has been telling users with routine tech support problems, such as banned social media accounts, to contact the outlet, and in some cases drafting the email for them. The outlet started replying to these emails about two weeks ago and asked how the users found it, and says each one named a chatbot.
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