OpenAI is launching ChatGPT for Teens, a version of its artificial intelligence chatbot specifically aimed at users aged 13 to 17. As the first generation to grow up with artificial intelligence, teenagers are already utilizing the tool for daily life questions, schoolwork, and companionship.
The new version incorporates age-appropriate safety measures, parental controls, and learning tools designed to encourage safe usage and deeper learning. These features aim to steer young users away from harmful content and discourage the use of AI to cheat on homework.
To further protect young users, the company is rolling out age-specific protections and a chatbot mode that automatically limits certain conversations. These measures come as parents and researchers raise growing concerns regarding the emotional reliance teenagers may develop toward chatbots.
OpenAI does not verify users' ages, but it uses age assurance to estimate if a user is under 18 based on factors such as their types of queries. The company insisted that these updates were not in response to any particular issue involving children believing ChatGPT to be alive.