"Daughter Consults ChatGPT After Fight with Father, Leading to Manager’s Resignation... AI Crisis Response Sparks Debate in Japan"

Arrested While Breaking Up Daughters' Fight... Yomiuri Manager Resigns Voluntarily

Elder Daughter Contacts Counseling Center Guided by AI, Leading to Police Intervention

"AI Responds Without Understanding Context," Concerns Rise in Japan

Following the case in which Abe Shinnosuke, former manager of the Yomiuri Giants, Japan’s most popular professional baseball team, was arrested on suspicion of assaulting his daughter and subsequently resigned voluntarily, controversy is spreading in Japan over the crisis response features of generative artificial intelligence (AI). Concerns are being raised over the unexpected impact of AI counseling, as the daughter’s consultation with ChatGPT led to police intervention and the manager’s resignation.

Abe Shinnosuke, Yomiuri manager who expressed his intention to resign voluntarily at a press conference on the 26th. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

According to Yonhap News on May 28, citing Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei), ChatGPT’s emergency response features are drawing attention in connection with the commotion surrounding Abe’s resignation.

On May 25, Abe was arrested by police at his residence in Shibuya, Tokyo, on suspicion of assault after intervening in a fight between his 18-year-old elder daughter and 15-year-old younger daughter, allegedly pushing the elder daughter. He was later released. The next day, on May 26, he voluntarily resigned from his position as manager, stating that he had caused significant harm to the team.

According to local media reports, Abe’s elder daughter asked ChatGPT, “I was assaulted by my father, what should I do?” and, following the AI’s guidance, contacted a child consultation center. The police, having received a report from the center, immediately went to the residence and arrested Abe. Abe’s lawyer stated that the daughter was greatly shocked and started crying when she witnessed the scene.

In a statement, the elder daughter clarified, “My father did not hit or kick me,” and insisted that some media reports were inconsistent with the facts as she experienced them. She also explained, “It was the first time I had such a big argument with my father, so I consulted ChatGPT,” and, “I called a child consultation center that allows for anonymous counseling as directed by ChatGPT, but it led to a police report without asking for my consent.”

Nikkei reported that as AI services such as ChatGPT evolve into AI agents capable of taking actions, they are introducing features to directly or indirectly notify relevant authorities based on users’ consultations. The article also cited a case where OpenAI was sued by the family of a victim after allegedly failing to report a conversation between a suspect and ChatGPT about a mass shooting in Canada in February. It explained that AI companies are compelled to strengthen features that induce external notification or counseling in sensitive cases.

Nikkei pointed out that while reporting functions in AI may be necessary in crisis situations such as child abuse, dating violence, or suicide attempts, as in this case, there is also the risk that situations may escalate beyond what the person involved intended. There is a need for caution, as AI may respond without fully understanding the context and specificity of each individual situation.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.