OpenAI to Require ID Verification for Businesses to Access Future AI Models

OpenAI may require businesses to undergo an ID verification process to access certain future AI models, as indicated on a support page published on the company's website last week, TechCrunch reported.

The proposed Verified Organization method would mandate government-issued identification from eligible countries, allowing only one organization per ID to be authenticated every 90 days. Not all organizations will qualify. OpenAI stated that this measure aims to prevent API misuse and address concerns about usage regulation violations.

At OpenAI, we take our responsibility seriously to ensure that AI is both broadly accessible and used safely," the support page states. "Unfortunately, a small minority of developers intentionally violate our usage policies with the OpenAI APIs. We're introducing the verification process to mitigate unsafe AI use while keeping advanced models accessible to the broader developer community.

The new verification approach may aim to enhance security for OpenAI's increasingly complex and capable products. The company has released several reports detailing efforts to detect and reduce malicious use of its models, including by entities allegedly based in North Korea. Additionally, the measure could deter intellectual property theft.

According to a Bloomberg report from earlier this year, OpenAI investigated whether a group linked to DeepSeek, a China-based AI lab, extracted large volumes of data via its API in late 2024, likely for model training, violating OpenAI's agreements. OpenAI restricted access to its services in China last summer.

OpenAI’s Image Generation Tool

Recently, AI-generated art swept the internet, flooding social media with stunning, surreal images evocative of Studio Ghibli’s signature animation style. These artworks, ranging from breathtaking landscapes to characters with expressive eyes, capture the enchanting essence of Hayao Miyazaki’s work.

The trend emerged earlier this week when ChatGPT’s newly released GPT-4o image generator began transforming numerous image prompts into Studio Ghibli-inspired art. OpenAI’s "Images for ChatGPT" impresses users by seamlessly replicating depth, shadows, and even text, inspiring a wave of creators to emulate Miyazaki’s distinctive style.

However, CEO Sam Altman has urged users to "chill out" as the massive demand for ChatGPT's new upgrade overwhelms his team’s capacity. Can y’all please chill on generating images. This is insane, our team needs sleep, Altman wrote.