Hello,

I would like to propose a feature that I believe could have a meaningful impact on user safety in the future.

I envision a feature called Emergency Assist, designed to respond when a ChatGPT user may be in immediate danger or experiencing a life-threatening situation.

This would not be limited to medical emergencies such as choking. It could potentially cover situations including:

  • choking or sudden difficulty breathing,
  • severe bleeding,
  • symptoms of a stroke or heart attack,
  • unconsciousness or sudden deterioration,
  • car accidents,
  • fires or gas leaks,
  • poisoning,
  • physical attacks or other immediate threats,
  • situations where a person is unable to make an emergency call or speak.

If ChatGPT detected from the conversation that the user might be in immediate danger, it could display a prominent “Call for Help” option.

After confirmation from the user, the phone could initiate a call to the appropriate emergency number (such as 112 or 155, depending on the country). Where technically and legally possible, it could also provide emergency responders with basic information the user has shared during the conversation, such as the nature of the emergency and the user’s available location.

I believe an especially valuable part of this feature would be a silent emergency assistance option.

For example, someone being attacked might be hiding and unable to safely speak or make a phone call. In such a situation, ChatGPT could potentially allow the user to request emergency assistance without having to speak aloud.

The same principle could help someone who is alone, unable to reach their phone, or unable to communicate normally.

Of course, such a feature would require extremely strong safeguards, privacy protections, safeguards against false alarms, and clear user consent. I would not expect ChatGPT to independently decide that emergency services should be dispatched. Instead, it could act as a secure bridge between the user, the device’s emergency capabilities, and existing emergency services.

I believe one of the most valuable capabilities of AI in this area could be recognizing from context that a person may be unable to ask for help themselves.

That could potentially make the difference between someone simply receiving information about what to do and actually being able to get emergency assistance.

Thank you for considering this idea.

Best regards,
Marie