OpenAI addresses ‘ChatGPT obsession’ with Goblins and Gremlins, AI Agents: Never talk about …

ChatGPT recently started spurting an unusual number of references to goblins, gremlins, raccoons, trolls, or pigeons – mythical creatures and small animals in its responses, slipping them into metaphors and explanations. Then, earlier this week, a developer spotted in the source code of Codex a very specific instruction. The sentence appeared not once, but four times. OpenAI published a blog post, explaining how AI systems can develop unexpected habits that nobody intended.

“Never talk about goblins, gremlins, raccoons, trolls, ogres, pigeons, or other animals or creatures unless it is absolutely and unambiguously relevant to the user’s query,” said the specific instruction.