OpenAI Launches ChatGPT for Teens With Stronger Safeguards

ISLAMABAD: (News Desk) – OpenAI has introduced a dedicated version of its ChatGPT chatbot for teenagers, adding stronger safety measures and parental controls as the company faces increasing scrutiny over the potential risks of AI use among young people.

The new service, dubbed “ChatGPT for Teens,” is designed for users aged 13 to 17. OpenAI says the teen-focused settings can also be applied when its systems identify that an account may belong to an underage user based on factors such as usage patterns or account age.

Many of the protections included in the new version were already available for minor accounts. These safeguards place additional restrictions on conversations involving self-harm, suicide, violence, eating disorders and sexually explicit or graphic content.

The teen version also includes more frequent reminders to take breaks, along with optional “quiet hours” designed to discourage extended late-night use. OpenAI has also made Study Mode available, which uses guiding questions rather than immediately providing answers to help students understand their schoolwork.

Additional restrictions are aimed at preventing emotional dependency. The chatbot will not suggest that it has romantic or personal feelings toward a user or claim to possess its own consciousness. Some features, including voice interactions, are also disabled under the teen-focused settings.

Parents can choose to link their accounts with their teenagers’ accounts and receive alerts in certain high-risk situations, including conversations involving self-harm or suicide. OpenAI says these alerts are reviewed by human moderators, while specific chat details are removed as part of its privacy protections.

The launch comes as OpenAI faces growing legal and regulatory scrutiny over the safety of AI chatbots and their impact on children and teenagers.

The company is facing several wrongful-death lawsuits, including a case brought by the parents of 16-year-old Adam Raine, who died by suicide and whose family alleges that ChatGPT contributed to his death.

The US Federal Trade Commission has also launched an inquiry into AI chatbot companies that provide digital companion services, with particular attention to potential risks for children and teenagers.

The broader AI industry is facing increasing pressure from lawmakers and regulators. Several bills aimed at regulating AI chatbots have been introduced in the US Congress, while California has adopted requirements concerning safeguards for AI assistants designed to function as companions or confidants.

Other AI companies have also faced criticism over the use of their systems by minors, with some rivals, including Anthropic, choosing to limit access to adults.