Who is David Meyer, the name that causes ChatGPT to crash and freeze the chatbot from typing?
OpenAI has implemented security measures in ChatGPT that prevent it from answering questions that include a specific name. For some strange reason, the AI chatbot freezes when typing “David Mayer” and generates an error, forcing the user to start a new chat window. The phenomenon was discovered by some users this weekend, who took on the task of finding the answer.
It’s no secret that AI companies like OpenAI or Google are programming guardrails into language models to prevent unwanted behavior. These mechanisms are there to combat content that violates usage policies, such as illegal activities or hate speech.
The last case could be a combination of the two, though the result is very strange. ChatGPT is unable to produce information about David Mayer. If you type that name into a query, the chatbot will not be able to respond and will generate an error. Unlike content that violates the terms of use, the name does not generate a warning message and just freezes ChatGPT.
“Unable to reply” refers to an error window that cancels any further conversation. If the user presses the “rebuild” button or selects any of the reply options, the chat will freeze again. The AI also won’t respond to simple tricks like replacing words, with the string “David Mayer” apparently causing the problem.
The name in question could refer to David Mayer de Rothschild, an environmentalist and heir to the Rothschild fortune, one of the world's richest families. David is the son of Evelyn de Rothschild, who is known for being the banker to Queen Elizabeth II and many members of the British royal family.
Unlike his father, David decided to give up luxuries and focus on environmental advocacy. David Meyer has produced documentaries about climate change and gone on extreme expeditions, such as sailing in boats made from plastic bottles. His Sculpt the Future foundation aims to educate new generations about the importance of caring for the environment.
The exact reasons behind why David Mayer created the bug in ChatGPT are unknown. Some users suggest that it is a bug preventing certain combinations of words from being processed. Others claim that it is a content filter that blocks certain words, which is more useful.
According to Newsweek, David Meyer's name would be associated with a Chechen militant who used the pseudonym. ChatGPT likely included him in its filters to block requests, as did the names Brian Hood, Jonathan Turley, Jonathan Zittrain, David Faber, and Guido Scorza.