OpenAI on Tuesday introduced a version of ChatGPT designed for teenagers, adding stricter restrictions on sensitive content and giving parents more control over how their children use the artificial intelligence chatbot.
“If our system estimates someone is under 18 or they state their age is between 13 and 17, they are automatically placed into ChatGPT for Teens,” the company said in a statement.
Teen accounts will face additional limits on content involving self-harm, suicide, violence, eating disorders and sexual material.
OpenAI also said the system has been designed to avoid encouraging emotional dependence on the chatbot or presenting the AI as a human relationship.
Parents who link their accounts with their teenagers’ accounts can manage selected settings, including memory and chat history, and establish periods when ChatGPT cannot be used. OpenAI said parents generally cannot see their teenagers’ conversations, but may receive alerts in limited cases involving signs of serious self-harm risk.
The teen version also includes educational features such as Study Mode, which guides students through problems rather than simply providing answers, as well as quizzes and other learning tools.
The move comes as the use of generative AI among young people has expanded, while researchers, parents and policymakers have raised concerns about children’s exposure to inappropriate material, reliance on chatbots for emotional support and the effects of AI on learning.
OpenAI has also faced legal scrutiny over teenagers’ use of ChatGPT, including lawsuits from families alleging the chatbot contributed to their children’s suicides, increasing pressure on the company to strengthen protections for minors.
