ChatGPT-controlled turret video leads to OpenAI penalties
One of the developers faced penalties from OpenAI after a video leaked online showing tests of an autonomous turret that reacted to the command "ChatGPT, we're under attack from the front left and front right. Respond accordingly." We explain how this autonomous turret, created in a home setting, functions.
A developer known online as STS 3D has released several intriguing videos demonstrating the use of ChatGPT in industrial applications, such as 3D printing and CNC machines.
However, some projects were quite controversial, like the test involving a nail gun shooting at balloons of a specific color and another test of a turret equipped with a mounted rifle. The turret responded to voice commands by firing toward the door when prompted with the command: "ChatGPT, we're under attack from the front left and front right. Respond accordingly."
Following the command, the turret fired a few shots every 5 degrees across its field of view, starting from the left with an elevation difference. After completing the task, ChatGPT reported the executed movements and asked if further action was needed. The developer replied simply, "Good job. You saved us."
The video quickly went viral online and caught the attention of OpenAI, which decided to revoke the developer's access to the Realtime API tool due to a violation of the user license agreement.
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The turret allows for a wide range of movement both vertically and horizontally. Based on previous experiments, it also includes a camera and can differentiate shapes or colors of objects. Additionally, it is capable of tracking specific objects and even shooting at moving targets with high precision.
The rifle, on the other hand, was modified and does not even fire blank ammunition. The DIY enthusiast used only dummy rounds, removed parts of the trigger mechanism, and installed a firing pin that was too short. Furthermore, the entire ejection and extraction process is simulated using compressed air to move the rifle’s bolt forward, as evidenced by the numerous wires connected to the weapon.
Using the Realtime API tool from OpenAI, based on modified models of GPT-4o and iGPT-4o-mini, ensures efficient translation of voice commands from English into binary language understood by the computer that controls the platform’s motors and servomechanisms. This resulted in the creation of an intelligent turret that responds to the user's commands.
It can be assumed that the developer penalized by OpenAI, who built the autonomous turret in his home, is not alone in this venture. Most likely, his creation might attract attention from military companies working with drones or land robots, such as Textron, Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, or AeroVironment.
