OpenAI rolls out ChatGPT for Teens with new safety guardrails

OpenAI began rolling out ChatGPT for Teens on August 18, a separate experience for users aged 13 to 17 that blocks sexual and romantic content, tightens responses around self-harm and eating disorders, and redirects homework prompts into a guided Study Mode. The Verge reported the launch, which is available on Free and paid personal ChatGPT plans, with full availability in Australia expected September 8.

The teen version is switched on automatically for accounts OpenAI identifies as belonging to a minor. The company estimates age from query patterns rather than up-front ID checks; when it is unsure, it defaults users into the under-18 experience, and in some cases or countries may also ask for an ID.

The chatbot is instructed not to use romantic language or terms of endearment and is more strongly told not to suggest it has feelings, consciousness or emotions. Parents who link an account can receive safety notifications, set "Quiet Hours," and decide when new chats start in Study Mode. Rather than answering homework outright, Study Mode is meant to walk teens through problems, on the premise, an OpenAI representative told Euronews, that "people learn more effectively when they actively engage and struggle with concepts."

OpenAI framed the feature as one "designed to help teens learn, think critically, deepen understanding, and use AI with confidence." The teen tier arrives after a string of lawsuits over AI chatbots' lack of safety measures and teen mental-health harms. Two of the AI experts we track shared the story on the day it launched.