Apple is deadlocked with email app BlueMail over its decision to give the app’s latest update an age restriction of 17 or older due to ChatGPT integration.
Apple is currently blocking the update because Blix Inc. The app’s developer disagrees with the company’s position on giving BlueMail age restrictions, after it declined to apply a trademark update last week, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Blix Inc. OpenAI’s GPT-3 language model in its latest release of BlueMail to bring chatbot AI features to an email application. However, Apple claims in documents shared by Blix Inc. With the post that the app’s AI integration does not include content filtering, which is what led to the recommendation for age restrictions of 17 or older.
OpenAI-owned ChatGPT, which is still in beta form, is known for creating content that could be offensive, including racial and gender bias, as well as incorrect information and disturbing language. However, the co-founder of Blix Inc. Ben Vollach posted that BlueMail has its own content filtering capabilities, which are detailed in their implementation on the Apple App Store. He also hinted that there are already apps in the App Store that include AI functions that aren’t rated as hard.
In the current, non-updated iteration, the app is rated suitable for ages four and up. The developer’s primary concern is that the age restrictions will prevent users from easily finding BlueMail in the App Store and may make them reluctant to use the product.
However, BlueMail is not the only AI update app that has been targeted. Microsoft recently implemented ChatGPT capabilities in its Bing search engine and ran into the same roadblock when trying to update its mobile apps with the AI feature. A Microsoft spokesperson told the Wall Street Journal that the latest update to the Bing mobile app ChatGPT on the Apple App Store has an age restriction of 17 or older, while it does not on the Google Play Store.
While Apple is not officially in the AI game, its App Store has become overcrowded with scammer and malware apps that are ChatGPT alternatives. Among the first applications there was an application called ChatGPT Chat GPT AI with GPT-3, which required payment before OpenAI introduced its ChatGPT Plus subscription class. The app remained active for at least three weeks until it caught media attention as a price gouging fake, even getting a rating of 4.6 out of 5 and over 13,000 reviews.
Despite its issues, which parallel those found in the real ChatGPT, many are left wondering how the app passed Apple’s review process in the first place. Many legitimate developers may now be paying the price for such early flops.
At this time, Blix Inc. cannot. The refusal is only challenged by Apple’s Application Review Board, an Apple spokesperson told WSJ.
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