OpenAI is rolling out new measures to improve teen safety on ChatGPT, including an AI-powered age-prediction system and a suite of parental controls set to launch by the end of this month.
The move comes amid growing scrutiny of how young users interact with AI tools, following recent lawsuits and concerns from parents, policymakers, and advocacy groups.
The company says it is working on a long-term system to determine whether a user is over or under 18, with the goal of delivering a more age-appropriate chatbot experience.
For users identified as under 18, ChatGPT will automatically switch to a restricted teen version that:
- Blocks graphic sexual or violent content
- Uses teen-specific model behavior rules
- Introduces stricter content moderation
- And the system may, in rare emergencies, notify parents or involve law enforcement if it detects acute distress.
OpenAI acknowledges that age prediction is far from perfect. If the system cannot confidently determine someone’s age, it will “take the safer route” and default to the teen experience.
Adults wrongly classified will have the option to verify their age, and in some countries, OpenAI may eventually require ID verification. Alongside the age-prediction system, OpenAI is rolling out new parental controls on ChatGPT, designed to give families greater oversight.
Parents will be able to link their accounts with their teen’s (minimum age 13) through a simple email invitation, customize how ChatGPT responds using teen-specific rules, and even disable certain features like memory and chat history.
They will also receive alerts if the system detects signs of distress, with law enforcement contacted if parents cannot be reached in urgent cases.
READ: Family Sues OpenAI After Teen Uses ChatGPT to Plan Suicide
Additionally, parents can set blackout hours to restrict when teens can use ChatGPT. These features build on existing tools, such as in-app reminders that encourage breaks during extended sessions.
OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman admitted the company is explicitly prioritizing teen safety over adult privacy.
“When some of our principles are in conflict, we prioritize teen safety ahead of privacy and freedom,” Altman wrote on X, noting that while not everyone will agree with the tradeoff, it is a step the company believes is necessary.
