OpenAI announced the launch of ChatGPT for Teens, a specialized version of its AI chatbot designed for users under 18 with integrated safety protections. The new account type will become the default for users who identify as teenagers during signup, as well as for individuals the company identifies as under 18, though the company did not specify its identification methods. Users under 13 remain ineligible for the service.
The safety measures introduced include the ability to disable human voice responses to reduce the chatbot’s perceived personhood, regular reminders encouraging users to take breaks and acknowledging that they are interacting with artificial intelligence rather than a person. OpenAI stated this feature was not developed in response to widespread concerns about young users believing the AI is sentient, though the company acknowledged growing societal concerns about AI sentience perceptions. The announcement follows similar remarks from Microsoft’s head of AI, who previously expressed concerns about the societal implications of seemingly conscious AI products.
The teen-focused features draw parallels to safety models established by major social networks. Young users will gain the ability to set scheduled times for Study Mode, a feature that launched previously and allows the AI to discuss educational topics without providing direct answers. A new “quiet times” feature will allow teens to temporarily disable the tool entirely. OpenAI reported that approximately nine out of every ten young ChatGPT users employ the service for educational purposes.
Additional protections include notifications to linked parent accounts when teens submit requests related to eating disorders, with the company stating that human reviewers will examine each alert before transmission, targeting delivery within an hour. The announcement comes amid a recent report indicating that 94 percent of UK university students acknowledge using AI tools in academic assessments. Competing AI services including Anthropic’s Claude and Google’s Gemini currently restrict access to adult users only. The UK government previously considered restrictions on AI chatbots for minors as part of broader child safety reforms.
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