ChatGPT Trusted Contact: Crisis Alert Feature Launched

ChatGPT is rolling out a new "Trusted Contact" feature to help during mental health crises. Here's the thing: adult users can now nominate someone to be alerted if their conversations show serious mental health concerns. You pick one adult contact in your settings. That person gets an invite and has one week to accept. If ChatGPT's automated systems flag a conversation, a team reviews it. If it's serious, your Trusted Contact gets a notification, but it won't include your chat transcripts. It just gives a general reason and links to expert guidance. OpenAI says this whole process should take about an hour. What's interesting is this builds on existing safety tools and was developed with input from clinicians and organizations like the American Psychological Association. The bottom line: this new tool aims to provide an extra layer of support and intervention when it's most needed.