Trending 
OpenAI has launched a version of its ChatGPT chatbot tailored for users aged 13 to 17, featuring content restrictions and safety measures designed to address concerns about young people’s interactions with artificial intelligence.
The new product, announced Tuesday, includes safeguards against suicide-related content, self-harm material and romantic or sexual conversations, the company said.
It also provides homework assistance structured to guide students toward independent learning rather than simply generating answers.
“We want to treat teens like teens, which means that we have to make sure that we’re showing up with the right developmental stage when we’re not either talking down to them or treating them like kids, but we’re also making sure that they’re not exposed to material that they shouldn’t be exposed to,” said Ann O’Leary, OpenAI’s vice president of global policy.
Brendan Bouffard, associate general counsel for AI and privacy at children’s advocacy group Fairplay, said the effectiveness of the new safeguards remains uncertain.
Bouffard warned parents against developing a false sense of security based on the announcement.
“Announcements like these can be seen as a step in the right direction,” Bouffard said.
“But I also would caution against parents being lured into this false sense of safety based on the announcement.”
The company said the teen version prevents the chatbot from suggesting it has personal feelings toward users or implying consciousness or emotions and blocks romantic or sexual chats.
“We went through and identified what are the hypothetical cues that a model could give that might make a teenager kind of develop a relationship to it,” said Allison Mishkin, OpenAI’s head of child development.
OpenAI uses age estimation based on user queries to identify minors and automatically places them in the teen version. Parental controls require opt-in from both the teen and their parent or guardian.
Parents can set “quiet hours” and receive safety notifications in high-risk situations.
“We are adding additional notifications related to eating disorders, while limiting what is shared and focusing on moments when offline support may matter most,” the company said.
The teen chatbot is designed to guide students to develop their own answers rather than providing completed solutions, OpenAI said.
“We continue to also invest in expanding interactive learning because research shows that people learn more effectively when they actively engage and struggle with concepts,” Mishkin said.
