"We don’t always get it right. Earlier this year, an update made the model too agreeable, sometimes saying what sounded nice instead of what was actually helpful. We rolled it back, changed how we use feedback, and are improving how we measure real-world usefulness over the long term, not just whether you liked the answer in the moment," OpenAI wrote in the announcement. "We also know that AI can feel more responsive and personal than prior technologies, especially for vulnerable individuals experiencing mental or emotional distress."

Broadly, OpenAI has been updating its models in response to claims that its generative AI products, specifically ChatGPT, are exacerbating unhealthy social relationships and worsening mental illnesses, especially among teenagers. Earlier this year, reports surfaced that many users were forming delusional relationships with the AI assistant, worsening existing psychiatric disorders, including paranoia and derealization. Lawmakers, in response, have shifted their focus to more intensely regulate chatbot use, as well as their advertisement as emotional partners or replacements for therapy.

OpenAI has recognized this criticism, acknowledging that its previous 4o model "fell short" in addressing concerning behavior from users. The company hopes that these new features and system prompts may step up to do the work its previous versions failed at.

"Our goal isn’t to hold your attention, but to help you use it well," the company writes. "We hold ourselves to one test: if someone we love turned to ChatGPT for support, would we feel reassured? Getting to an unequivocal 'yes' is our work."

Vicky

Were you tricked by the video of a bunch of bunnies jumping on a trampoline on TikTok? Well, nearly 230 million people were — and plenty of those viewers had no idea that it was actually AI. In response, the creator who brought us the Punxsutawney Phil musical, Oliver Richman (or @olivesongs11), wrote and recorded a 30-second song about the AI video, also for TikTok. He wrote the song on day 576 of an ongoing project, where he writes a new song each day.

"That project has changed my life in so many ways," Richman told Mashable, adding that it brought him "back to the joy of creating." He scrolled across the viral video of the bunnies jumping on the trampoline and said he was "certainly fooled" and "thought they were real."

"So when I learned that they weren't, I was like, 'Oh, I think this is today's song."

The unknowing bunny song on TikTok now has over 3.8 million views, 600,000 likes, and hundreds of comments like, "Bo Burnham! At The Disco" and "Wait until you see the bear on a trampoline. Spoiler: also AI."

The song goes like this:

There were bunnies that were jumping on a trampoline

And I just learned that they weren't real

If a bot can inhabit

An unknowing rabbit

It might manufacture the way you make me feel

How do I know that the sky's really sunny?

Sometimes it feels like your love is as real as

An unknowing bunny

The video has inspired covers and renditions, stop-motion videos, reactions, and a variety of other really cool human-made art. As one creator wrote on a TikTok video using the sound, "The fact that this song written about AI is going viral is incredibly healing. Especially because us as artists and songwriters are being threatened of our livelihoods due to the use of AI. And AI could never create something this unique with this much feeling."

Richman said the response to his video has been "the most surreal thing ever."

"Every piece of art that I've seen, I like get emotional," he said. "It certainly made me feel connected to the beauty of the messiness of being a human. And the imperfections that AI tends to delete or perfect — seeing all of this human art has just been a very emotional and cool experience."

As Mashable's Tim Marcin recently wrote about the influx of faux surveillance footage of animals, it "seems to be a new genre of AI slop." But give the internet slop, and creators might make porridge (is that a saying?).

In the face of all the AI slop we see online, creators like Richman are staying positive. "Art is so cool. Human art is so cool, and that really excites me."

Updated on Aug. 4 at 3:00 p.m. ET — This story has been updated to include an interview with creator Oliver Richman. Some quotes have been lightly edited for clarity and grammar.

Vicky

Verizon customers reportedly got double bad news this week: the phone carrier is raising fees and removing loyalty discounts.

According to users on the Verizon subreddit, several customers reported receiving an email from Verizon informing them their account discounts are ending. "We are writing to let you know that a discount on your account will soon end," the email said, according a redditor. "This discount will be removed no sooner than September 1, 2025." Several other redditors chimed in on the thread, saying they had a received the same email about losing loyalty perks offered to longstanding customers. Mashable has reached out to Verizon for comment and will update this story with a response.

A few days earlier, Verizon confirmed to Tom's Guide that the company is increasing fees for activations, phone lines, and tablet plans by Sept. 1.

Verizon customers are understandably unhappy about the changes. Some commented that they might change phone carriers to T-Mobile or AT&T as a result. "They just keep finding ways to crap on loyal customers," commented one redditor, underscoring the general sentiment of the thread that loyal customers are being penalized for their loyalty.

According to Tom's Guide, Verizon is reportedly trying to persuade customers on older plans to switch to its newer myPlan subscription. "We want to ensure you get the best value and experience from Verizon and encourage you to check out our myPlan options for the plan that works best for you," the email to customers reportedly said.

Cutting loyalty discounts and upping fees is a bold way to do that, since it seems to be alienating customers even more.

Vicky