OpenAI has indefinitely paused plans to develop an “erotic” mode for ChatGPT, joining a series of recent setbacks for the AI giant. CEO Sam Altman first mentioned the controversial feature in October, but faced intense backlash from tech watchdogs and his own employees. The feature was repeatedly delayed amid criticism.

The decision comes as OpenAI consolidates its focus on primary areas such as business users and coders. On Tuesday, it quietly announced the deprioritization of Instant Checkout, a chatbot purchase portal. Then, on Wednesday, Sora, an AI video generator criticized for generating low-quality content, was shut down.

These changes follow reports that OpenAI is pivoting away from distractions to concentrate more on its core mission. This shift may be partly due to competition from Anthropic, which has been releasing successful coding and business tools over the past few months. The two companies have also been feuding over Pentagon contracts, with OpenAI emerging victorious in a recent $200 million agreement.

For now, it seems that while AI innovations may once have entailed sexual escapades, future developments are more likely to revolve around corporate strategies and military applications.