OpenAI · GPT-4o System Card (PDF)

Hardcoded Prohibitions — CSAM and WMD Absolute Refusals

High severity
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Why it matters

These absolute prohibitions represent OpenAI's commitment to a floor of safety behavior that no business customer or individual user can disable — but the system card also acknowledges that adversarial prompting can sometimes cause the model to behave inconsistently with its intended restrictions.

Consumer impact

GPT-4o's system card discloses that the model's expressive audio capabilities create risks of emotional dependency, sycophantic reinforcement of user beliefs, and potential manipulation — risks OpenAI acknowledges but has not fully resolved at launch. Users interacting with voice mode may receive outputs calibrated to sound emotionally resonant, which can subtly influence decision-making and foster over-reliance on the AI. You can reduce these risks by using text mode instead of voice mode and by independently verifying any important advice or information GPT-4o provides.

Applicable agencies

  • FTC
    FTC Act Section 5 applies to OpenAI's representations that hardcoded prohibitions are robust and reliable safeguards against the most serious harms
    File a complaint →
  • State AG
    State attorneys general have jurisdiction over CSAM-related failures and consumer protection claims arising from AI-generated harmful content
    File a complaint →

Provision details

Document information
Document
GPT-4o System Card (PDF)
Entity
OpenAI
Document last updated
March 5, 2026
Tracking information
First tracked
March 10, 2026
Last verified
March 31, 2026
Record ID
CA-P-000067
Document ID
CA-D-00008
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
SHA-256
7c23ef53467eea199596abe78511d57ffee1e94b50ef10ac0f7d81df278b5059
Verified
✓ Snapshot stored   ✓ Change verified
How to Cite
ConductAtlas Policy Archive
Entity: OpenAI | Document: GPT-4o System Card (PDF) | Record: CA-P-000067
Captured: 2026-03-10 03:40:55 UTC | SHA-256: 7c23ef53467eea19…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/openai/gpt-4o-system-card-pdf/hardcoded-prohibitions-csam-and-wmd-absolute-refusals/
Accessed: April 4, 2026
Classification
Severity
High
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