A peculiar ChatGPT glitch has sparked a wave of conspiracy theories online, after users found that the AI tool refuses to respond when certain names, including "David Mayer," "Jonathan Zittrain," and "Jonathan Turley," are mentioned in prompts.
Typing these names reportedly causes ChatGPT to return an error and terminate the chat, fueling speculation across platforms like Reddit, 404 Media reported.
The issue gained traction on the r/conspiracy subreddit, where users theorized about potential connections to controversial figures or secretive censorship. Some suggested that "David Mayer" could refer to David Mayer de Rothschild, linking the glitch to longstanding antisemitic conspiracy theories.
Others noted that Zittrain, a Harvard Law professor, and Turley, a George Washington University professor, are both prominent critics of AI systems. Turley has publicly accused ChatGPT of generating false and defamatory claims about him in 2023.
Both professors have published work included in a copyright lawsuit brought against OpenAI and Microsoft by the New York Times. However, out of thousands of authors cited in the lawsuit, so far only Turley and Zittrain have been found to trigger the error message.
"ChatGPT never reached out to me," Turley said in an email exchange with 404 Media, confirming he has not filed lawsuits against OpenAI and is not aware of a reason behind the error.
Observers point out that ChatGPT avoids engaging with certain topics or individuals, possibly due to privacy or legal risks. OpenAI has not commented on the issue, leaving the origin of the error—and its implications for AI governance—unclear.
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