OpenAI rolls out ChatGPT for Teens with tighter safety controls

OpenAI is launching ChatGPT for Teens on Tuesday, a version of its chatbot tailored specifically for users aged 13 to 17. The company says the tool is meant for a generation growing up alongside artificial intelligence, many of whom already use ChatGPT for schoolwork, everyday questions and even companionship.

The teen version restricts content related to suicide, self-harm, and romantic or sexual conversations. It is also designed to support homework and studying by guiding students toward their own answers rather than simply providing finished responses or essays.

Ann O'Leary, OpenAI's vice-president of global policy, said the goal is to treat teens according to their developmental stage — neither talking down to them nor exposing them to inappropriate material.

Parental controls and safety alerts

Parents with linked teen accounts can set "quiet hours" restricting when their child can use ChatGPT, and will receive notifications in limited high-risk situations, such as signs a user might harm themselves. OpenAI said it is also adding notifications related to eating disorders, while limiting how much information is shared with parents overall.

The company does not verify users' ages directly but relies on age-assurance signals, such as the type of questions asked, to estimate whether someone may be a minor. Users identified this way are automatically placed into the teen version — an approach similar to Meta's teen account restrictions on Instagram.

The teen chatbot is also barred from suggesting it has personal feelings toward a user or implying it is conscious or experiences emotions, a measure aimed at preventing unhealthy emotional attachment.

According to a 2025 study by Common Sense Media, more than 70% of US teens use AI chatbots for companionship, and half do so regularly. Using parental controls requires both the teen and parent to opt in, though OpenAI says the platform is designed to be safe even without them enabled.