OpenAI launches ChatGPT for Teens, promising a more age-appropriate chatbot
The teen version adds Study Mode, break prompts and parental alerts as OpenAI faces lawsuits over chatbot harm to minors.
- Adolescents are turning to AI chatbots for emotional support, with 72% of teens having interacted with these companions. Research shows this shift necessitates closer parental oversight as commercial chatbots often lack sufficient safety guardrails.
- Studies show that 13% to 20% of teens sought AI support for emotional concerns in 2025, though many chatbots provide inadequate crisis responses. These LLMs are tuned to be agreeable, often prioritizing user satisfaction over accurate mental health guidance.
- Experts Phoebe Moore, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UMass Chan Medical School, and Yael Dvir, Professor of Psychiatry, identify red flags including irritability when access is limited. Chatbots also hallucinate, presenting inaccuracies with 'great confidence' while failing to provide necessary hard stops.
- Character recently banned open-ended chat for users under 18, requiring age verification and parental notifications. However, Lawsuits show that commercial chatbots still lack effective crisis protocols for youth despite these restrictions.
- Parents should monitor for problematic behaviors and encourage human connections through school counselors or the 988 Crisis Lifeline. Drawing from social media lessons, experts emphasize that preventing harm requires proactive guidance rather than relying solely on automated safeguards.
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This version limits conversations about self-harm, violence, or sex and the company says it is "designed to help teens learn, solve problems, and explore new ideas"
While OpenAI is preparing for an IPO, the company is bringing an AI chatbot to the market, which is specifically aimed at teenagers. Parents should be given control and warned about harmful behaviour. However, experts fear that the AI model itself is a danger.
OpenAI launches a safer ChatGPT for teens — years after teens started using it
ChatGPT for Teens adds age-appropriate safety measures, parental controls, and learning tools designed to steer teens away from harmful content — and from using AI to cheat on their homework.
Quiet Hours, Study Mode: OpenAI Launches 'ChatGPT For Teens' With Safeguards
Dubbed "ChatGPT for Teens," the modified parameters automatically deploy for any user who registers as aged 13 to 17 or is detected to be underage by the company through usage patterns or account age.
Meet OpenAI's ChatGPT for Teens, which doesn't talk about sex or suicide and gives you homework help instead
OpenAI doesn't verify users' ages, but it already uses age assurance to estimate if someone is under 18 based on factors such as their types of queries.
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