OpenAI launches a teen-focused ChatGPT with built-in study and safety features

The idea of your child using ChatGPT can be daunting, but OpenAI's new teen-focused tools provide granular controls over what they can and can't access.

OpenAI’s new ChatGPT safeguards for teens echo the changes Meta agreed to make, but chatbots pose a harder problem

As Meta agrees to add child safety measures as part of a landmark trial, OpenAI is creating automatic protections for teen accounts that rely on the unforgiving premise that their system can actually identify them.

This week OpenAI launched a version of ChatGPT exclusively designed for teenagers between the ages of 13 and 17, reports CTV, "saying this version came with stronger protections around content related to mentions of suicide, self-harm and romantic or sexual chats." [Tech analyst Carmi Levy says] "What it's doing is it's using cues, it's sort of watching how you're using the tool, and it's trying to guess your age." Levy said if ChatGPT thinks a person has lied about their age when they first signed up, it will automatically put them into the Teens mode for protection. "It includes those sort of two things: prevent you from having experiences that are age inappropriate, and also add features that are aligned with academics, so that makes it easier to study, makes it less likely for you to cheat on an assignment, provide resources that that that allow you to learn more effectively," he said. Levy reminded users that this is still an application and a web service, which means it's constantly collecting personal information about the users' activities on the device and using the data to estimate their age... In the event a user is talking about self-harm, this new version will block the conversation and suggest additional help or call emergency or mental health services, Levy explained. It would do the same with violent content, eating disorders, engaging in dangerous activities, as well as explicit, sexual or graphic content. "It's using AI again to sort of parse out that conversation: 'are we headed in a in a significant direction? If so, throw up that guardrail, stop it from happening, redirect.'" However, the tech analyst said a number of people who have attempted to bypass the guiderails for research have succeeded in doing so "with a little bit of prompting.... I wouldn't call it 100% safe. That's kind of the catch-22 of the entire AI industry." This will lead parents to think that their children are safer and reduce the oversight on their online activities, which Levy described as a "perverse impact" that is "problematic." "Parents should not assume that OpenAI has their kids' best interests at heart. They should also not assume that these technologies are perfect. They will miss certain things, and they will also engage in what we call false positives," he said. "An adult who's legitimately is in the platform might be tagged as a child because the AI simply got it wrong." OpenAI's blog post says the new mode was designed for "preserving the ability to learn, create, and explore." But CNN notes the move "comes as OpenAI faces a string of lawsuits alleging that inappropriate conversations with ChatGPT contributed to the harm or deaths of young people." [New tools] include nudges for teen users to take a break if they've been active for 90 minutes within a three-hour window. OpenAI is also adding options for teens or parents to set "Quiet Hours" when ChatGPT is unavailable or "Study Hours" where ChatGPT's study mode for learning will be on by default. The company also said it has improved protections to prevent ChatGPT from expressing personal feelings toward a user. And it's adding reminders that caution teens to think twice if they try to upload a private or sensitive image to the chatbot... Nearly a third of American teens use AI chatbots daily, a Pew Research Center study published in December found. ChatGPT was by far the most popular AI chatbot in the survey, with more than half of those teens reporting having used it. Engadget shared this observation from Josh Golin, the executive director of Fairplay, a non-profit advocating for policies to make the internet safer for children. "Most parents, overwhelmingly, do not avail themselves of [parental oversight] tools, in part because they are deliberately made hard to find and use." Golin's group wanted to see testing of the tools first to see whether they led to better outcomes for teenagers. "The way this was just announced feels more like a response aimed at public relations than actual deep thinking about what kind of support [teens] need." And Mashable got a similar quote from Robbie Torney, head of AI/digital assessments for Common Sense Media's Youth AI Safety Institute. OpenAI's teen experience makes important safety commitments, but "What we really need now is evidence that they work, and we need this evidence, including our testing and the testing of others, before anyone, including parents, puts real trust in ChatGPT for Teens." Importantly, Torney said parents shouldn't assume their child is using ChatGPT for Teens. While OpenAI uses age estimation to place users in the age-appropriate version of ChatGPT, it can still mistake a user as older. Parents can be sure their child is using the teen version by linking their ChatGPT account to their child's and implementing OpenAI's parental control features. If a teen has previously lied about their age — and plenty do — they may continue to access the adult version of ChatGPT... Torney said caregivers must enact parental controls to receive notifications from OpenAI should their teen discuss suicide, self-harm, or acts of violence in immediate or dangerous ways... An OpenAI spokesperson said every notification is reviewed by a trained human before it's sent. The company strives to review notifications in under one hour. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

They say the company must prove it can be trusted before products like these get a pass.

OpenAI has launched ChatGPT for Teens, introducing additional safeguards for users aged 13 to 17, including restrictions on harmful content, parental controls, quiet hours and measures aimed at reducing emotional dependence on AI chatbots.

Giving another jolt to the already dwindling ‘Natural Intelligence’ worldwide in general and countrywide (the US) in particular comes Open AI’s latest launch—ChatGPT for Teens: Built for learning, backed by protections. The chatbot will help teens learn, think critically, and deepen understanding, something a book is quite capable of doing. But then that is a separate issue altogether. Here, the emphasis is to help teens gain confidence in using AI. The tool comes with features that enable ‘healthy use of the AI’ and ‘parental control’.ChatGPT's growing influenceSince its launch in November 2022 by Open AI, ChatGPT, a sibling model to InstructGPT “trained to follow instruction in a prompt and provide a detailed response”, has been hailed as a wonder tool for business development through increased speed and efficiency, reduced time, and decreased costs. It took the world by storm, notwithstanding the destruction it caused in its wake—vanishing jobs, loss of privacy, increase in cybercrime, and behaviour modification among people, especially children. And the fact that AI agents require monumental resources, already scarce, in terms of land, rare earth minerals, and fresh water.Teenagers often use the tool for creating fantasy stories. ChatGPT not only helps in searching for story ideas and developing plots and characters; it can also give creative inputs when prompted. However, more often than not, the creativity it unleashes is destructive. Addiction to AI compromises rational thinking, increases emotional dependence on chatbots, and results in loss of empathy. Only last week, a Massachusetts teen was charged with the double murder of his mother and younger brother after he used ChatGPT to search for “theoretical ideas and fantasy stories” about killing his family. The teen was said to be having behavioural problems for a year because of his addiction to the tool. This was not a standalone incident; there have been many in the past few years. The company has come under severe criticism on account of behavioural changes among teenagers and has been battling lawsuits to this effect.OpenAI introduces teen safeguardsMindful of the impact the tool is having on children, Open AI has now launched the version for teenagers, which comes with a Teen Safety Blueprint to protect them from being wrongly influenced or exploited by online predators.It also has an Age-Prediction feature which, when it ‘estimates that an account belongs to someone under 18 years of age, automatically applies additional protection designed to reduce exposure to sensitive content’.Now, that should give us some confidence as far as artificial intelligence is concerned. However, in doing so, we are underestimating the Natural Intelligence that these tech-savvy children of the digital world possess. Why would they not lie about their age on a platform that provides them anonymity to a certain extent? Or, for that matter, can they not circumvent the restrictions imposed by a bot?AI needs stronger safeguardsAI is, no doubt, a revolutionary technology, but it will need many more checks and balances to be put in place and policies to be devised to make it secure for children and young adults.

NPR's Sacha Pfeiffer talks with CNBC's Ashley Capoot about OpenAI's ChatGPT for Teens feature and the safety concerns it's designed to address.

OpenAI launched a new ChatGPT teen experience amid youth safety concerns. Experts warn the upgrades may not be enough.

OpenAI is launching a newer version of its teen-friendly ChatGPT platform. Rebecca Bellan, a senior reporter for TechCrunch, joins with more details on its tools.

New Delhi: OpenAI on Tuesday introduced ChatGPT for Teens, a new experience designed specifically for users aged 13 to 17, combining learning tools with stronger built-in safety protections. The company said the new experience aims to help teenagers learn, think critically, deepen their understanding and use artificial intelligence more responsibly. Teen users are automatically placed into the teen experience if they are identified as being under 18 or state that they are between 13 and 17. The experience comes with enhanced safeguards by default in areas such as self-harm, violence, eating disorders, dangerous activities, and sexually explicit or graphic content.OpenAI is starting to roll out ChatGPT for Teens globally today (August 18, full availability in Australia expected September 8) to Free and paid personal accounts, switching it on automatically when the system estimates someone is under 18 or they state their age is between 13… pic.twitter.com/IKObfESVYc— Tibor Blaho (@btibor91) August 18, 2026 The new experience also brings several learning-focused features into ChatGPT. Its Study Mode uses guiding questions and step-by-step assistance to encourage teenagers to work through problems and understand concepts instead of simply receiving direct answers.OpenAI has also introduced Responsible Homework Reminders, which are designed to steer students away from requests for shortcuts and towards collaborative problem-solving. Quizzes and Learning Visualizations provide additional ways for teenagers to practise concepts and strengthen their understanding.The Study Hours feature allows teenagers or their parents to designate specific periods when Study Mode will be enabled by default. OpenAI has also added more frequent reminders encouraging teenagers to take breaks during extended periods of use.xAI Co-Founder Tony Yuhuai Wu Reportedly Buys ₹670 Crore California Mansion Six Years Into AI Career Parents who link their accounts with a teen's ChatGPT account can use Parental Controls to manage selected settings and establish Quiet Hours. In limited high-risk situations, parents may also receive safety notifications.OpenAI said the new features are intended to give parents greater control over how teenagers use ChatGPT while allowing young users to access the service for learning and other age-appropriate activities.Alongside ChatGPT for Teens, OpenAI has launched the "Parents' Guide to Learning with ChatGPT". The resource is designed to help parents understand the teen experience, configure parental controls, support learning and encourage healthy AI habits at home.(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)

OpenAI said Wednesday it has launched "ChatGPT for Teens," a version of its chatbot designed to encourage learning and reduce the risk of emotional dependency among younger users. The teen experience activates automatically when OpenAI's systems estimate a user is under 18 or when a user identifies themselves as between ages 13 to 17. The product is built around getting teenagers to work through problems themselves rather than simply receiving answers. Students studying for exams can ask for explanations of unfamiliar concepts, work through practice problems step-by-step and check their own understanding. If a user appears to be trying to get a direct answer to an assignment, ChatGPT will redirect them to "Study Mode," which walks them through the reasoning process instead. The system also includes prompts that steer users away from skipping assignments, along with directing them to with quizzes and visual learning aids. A new "Study Hours" feature lets teens or their parents schedule times when Study Mode turns on by default. Study Mode was developed with teachers, scientists and educati

OpenAI launches ChatGPT for Teens says it will block any inappropriate content or chats

OpenAI has launched a chatbot marketed for teens that the company says will provide stronger protections as concerns over AI safety increase. Axios Chief Technology Correspondent Ina Fried joins "The Takeout" to discuss.

OpenAI is launching a version of ChatGPT designed for teenagers — the first generation to grow up with artificial intelligence — who are already using it for schoolwork,…

OpenAI announced the launch of its new “ChatGPT for Teens” feature on Tuesday, unveiling an experience geared at people aged 13 to 17 that will include parental controls and stronger, built-in safety protections. The program builds on previous efforts to limit teen users' exposure to sensitive materials and alert parents if signs of distress emerge...

ChatGPT for Teens includes a number of educational features and applies age-appropriate safeguards, OpenAI said.

The rollout raises questions about whether teenagers should be using chatbots at all.

OpenAI on Tuesday introduced a version of ChatGPT designed for teenagers - the first generation to grow up with artificial intelligence - who are already using it for schoolwork, questions about daily life and even companionship.

Most teens already use chatbots. OpenAI’s new ChatGPT for Teens introduces important guardrails.

OpenAI is releasing ChatGPT for Teens, a version of its AI chatbot aimed at children aged 13 to 17 that the company says encourages safe usage and deeper learning. The model includes features such as Study Mode, quiet hours, and reminders to take a break. Lauren Jonas, OpenAI's head of youth and families, joins Ed Ludlow on "Bloomberg Tech." (Source: Bloomberg)

ChatGPT for Teens is tailored for kids aged 13 to 17 and promises stronger protections including content restrictions

The $852-billion startup faces ⁠multiple lawsuits alleging ChatGPT harmed children, as it prepares for a potentially record-breaking initial public offering

OpenAI launched ChatGPT for Teens with new safeguards for younger users. We tested it on its first day with some interesting results.

The company is ramping up its safety features amid growing legal scrutiny into the safety of its technology for young people.

OpenAI has officially introduced ChatGPT for Teens, a separate experience, meant to make the company’s AI chatbot more suitable for users aged 13 to 17.   The rollout is happening as ChatGPT keeps getting more popular with students, for homework, research, and those everyday questions too, but at the same time people keep worrying about how […]

The student-friendly experience is automatically implemented and includes homework help, break reminders and stronger guardrails against emotional dependence.

OpenAI on Tuesday introduced a version of its ChatGPT chatbot designed specifically for teenagers, adding stronger safeguards and monitoring as the company faces criticism and legal complaints over alleged harms involving some users.Called “ChatGPT for Teens”, the modified parameters are automatically deployed for users who register as being aged 13 to 17 or whom the company detects as underage based on usage patterns or account age.Several safeguards in ChatGPT for Teens were already available for ChatGPT accounts belonging to minors, including restrictions on content related to self-harm, violence, eating disorders and graphic sexuality.Added Safeguards, Study Mode for TeensThe programme also provides more frequent break reminders, blackout “quiet hours” and Study Mode, which uses guiding questions instead of directly providing answers “to help teens understand the material,” according to OpenAI.Other restrictions prevent the chatbot from suggesting that it has personal feelings for a user or possesses its own consciousness. Some features, including voice mode, are also disabled.Parents can choose to link their accounts with those of their teenagers and receive alerts if conversations involve certain high-risk situations, including self-harm or suicide.Human moderators review parental alerts, while specific details from chat logs are removed to protect users’ privacy.6 In 10 Health Facilities Worldwide Fail To Meet Basic Sanitation Standards: WHO-UNICEFOpenAI Faces Legal, Regulatory PressureThe introduction of the teen mode comes as OpenAI faces mounting legal and regulatory scrutiny.The company faces several wrongful death lawsuits, including one filed by the parents of 16-year-old Adam Raine, who died by suicide after allegedly using methods advised by ChatGPT.The US Federal Trade Commission has also launched an inquiry into artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots that act as digital companions, focusing on potential risks to children and teenagers.Also Watch:AI Companies Under Growing ScrutinyLike social media companies, AI firms are facing increasing regulatory pressure. The US Congress has introduced several bills aimed at regulating chatbots, while California requires safeguards for assistants that serve as companions or confidants.Other AI companies have also faced criticism over problems linked to the use of their products by minors. Rival Anthropic, for instance, has opted to restrict use of its model to adults.

Teen version is intended for children aged 13 to 17 and includes content protections on self-harm and sexual chatsOpenAI is launching a version of ChatGPT designed for teenagers – the first generation to grow up with artificial intelligence – who are already using it for schoolwork, questions about daily life and even companionship.The San Francisco-based company says ChatGPT for Teens, which launches on Tuesday, is tailored for children aged 13 to 17 with stronger protections including content restrictions around things such as suicide, self-harm and romantic or sexual chats. It also provides homework and study support designed to help students learn rather than spit out answers and school essays. Continue reading...

OpenAI is adding a ChatGPT mode for teenagers that includes parental controls, enhanced content safeguards, and a focus on learning. ChatGPT for Teens is "designed to help teens learn, think critically, deepen understanding, and use AI with confidence," said the company in a blog post announcing the feature. The feature includes learning-focused starter prompts for facilitating studying, practicing skills, or exploring ideas. ChatGPT's Study mode is baked in, as are learning tools (including quizzes when available), and Study hours that let the teen or a linked parent/guardian choose when eligible new chats start in study mode. OpenAI says reminders encourage users to take breaks, and there are built-in provisions for making it clear that ChatGPT is AI, and does not have consciousness, experience feelings or emotions. That backstop aims to discourage relationship-forming with the chatbot. ChatGPT automatically enables ChatGPT for Teens for eligible accounts identified as belonging to someone under 18. Users who think they are seeing the feature by mistake can verify their age and ask ChatGPT to remove the teen protections. OpenAI says ChatGPT for Teens is rolling out globally to eligible teen accounts on Free and paid personal ChatGPT plans beginning August 18, with full availability in Australia expected September 8. Tags: ChatGPT, OpenAIThis article, "OpenAI Announces ChatGPT for Teens With Built-In Safeguards and Learning Prompts" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

OpenAI launched ChatGPT for Teens on Tuesday. It is a separate version of the chatbot, and under-18s land in it automatically. Anyone who says they are 13 to 17 gets it by default. So does anyone the company’s age-prediction system estimates is under 18. The global rollout began on 18 August, and Engadget reported that […] This story continues at The Next Web

The new ChatGPT for Teens locks down homework shortcuts and AI romance.

ChatGPT for Teens adds age-appropriate safety measures, parental controls, and learning tools designed to steer teens away from harmful content — and from using AI to cheat on their homework.

Dubbed "ChatGPT for Teens," the modified parameters automatically deploy for any user who registers as aged 13 to 17 or is detected to be underage by the company through usage patterns or account age.

OpenAI is launching a version of ChatGPT designed for teenagers — the first generation to grow up with artificial intelligence — who are already using it for schoolwork, questions about daily life and even companionship

The dedicated teen experience applies age-appropriate content restrictions by default and adds parental controls for linked accounts

New York —  OpenAI is rolling out a new “ChatGPT for Teens” experience that it says will provide additional safety protections for teen users. The move comes as OpenAI faces a string of lawsuits alleging that inappropriate conversations with ChatGPT contributed to the harm or deaths of young people. The experience will bring together new tools … The post OpenAI introduces ‘ChatGPT for Teens’ experience amid scrutiny over child safety appeared first on Egypt Independent.

OpenAI doesn't verify users' ages, but it already uses age assurance to estimate if someone is under 18 based on factors such as their types of queries.

OpenAI is launching a version of ChatGPT designed for teenagers — the first generation to grow up with artificial intelligence.

OpenAI has launched ChatGPT for Teens, offering new learning tools and safety features. This version automatically places users aged thirteen to seventeen into a protected experience. Study Mode and Responsible Homework Reminders guide teenagers through topics collaboratively. Parents can manage settings and receive safety notifications through new parental controls. A Parents' Guide also supports families in navigating AI use and healthy habits.

OpenAI launches ChatGPT for teens with tighter safety and study support

The AI company is rolling out age-specific protections for 13- to 17-year-olds, as researchers and parents raise growing concerns over teenagers' emotional reliance on chatbots.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — OpenAI is launching a version of ChatGPT designed for teenagers — the first generation to grow up with artificial intelligence — who are already using it for schoolwork, questions about daily life and even companionship. The San Francisco-based company says ChatGPT for Teens, which launches Tuesday, is tailored for kids aged 13 to 17 with stronger protections including content restrictions around things like suicide, self-harm and romantic or sexual chats. It also provides homework and study support designed to help students learn rather than spit out answers and school essays. The idea is to guide teens toward healthy AI use in an age-appropriate environment, the company said. “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, vice president of global policy at OpenAI. Risks abound

Parents, educators and child development experts have been sounding alarms over children's use of AI chatbots.

OpenAI insisted this was not in response to a particular issue with children believing ChatGPT to be alive.

OpenAI is launching a version of ChatGPT designed for teenagers — the first generation to grow up with artificial intelligence — who are already using it for schoolwork, questions about daily life and even companionship. The San Francisco-based company says ChatGPT for Teens, which launches Tuesday, is tailored for kids aged 13 to 17 with […]

OpenAI is launching a version of ChatGPT designed for teenagers — the first generation to grow up with artificial intelligence — who are already using it for schoolwork, questions about daily life and even companionship

The artificial intelligence start-up announced a chatbot mode that will automatically limit some conversations to better protect young users.

AI start-up overhauls its chatbot for young people after high-profile lawsuits

OpenAI launches ChatGPT for Teens as a studying tool for young users.

OpenAI is releasing ChatGPT for Teens, a version of its artificially intelligent chatbot aimed at children aged 13 to 17 that the company said encourages safe usage and deeper learning.

OpenAI on Tuesday launched ChatGPT for Teens, featuring stronger safety protections and features designed to promote healthy use, along with additional controls for parents. OpenAI says that if its system “estimates” that a user is under 18, that user will automatically be seated at the Teens Table. Same thing if they admit they’re between 13 and 17. OpenAI already offered a teen experience in ChatGPT that included parental account linking, age prediction, and various content safeguards. Now the experience is a real product. The model underlying the teen chatbot will include age-appropriate safeguards to reduce teens’ exposure to content that may be “harmful or developmentally inappropriate.” The chatbot will intervene in conversations that veer into subjects like self-harm, violence, eating disorders, dangerous activities, and explicit sexual or graphic content. OpenAI says the new safety protections are informed by developmental science and guidance from experts. Last month, OpenAI announced more frequent prompts aimed at steering teens away from using the chatbot for long periods. The chatbot also warns against uploading private or sensitive images. Parents whose OpenAI accounts are linked to teen accounts can set Quiet Hours, manage selected settings, and receive safety notifications in limited high-risk situations. The chatbot also offers some new learning features for teens studying at home or prepping for a test. These include a “Study Mode,” which uses guiding questions and step-by-step support to help teens understand the material. It can detect when a teen is trying to “shortcut an assignment” and direct said teen back to Study Mode. Quizzes and Learning Visualizations give teens more ways to practice and test what they know. Parents can control what times Study Mode should be on by default. “AI should support learning, not shortcut it, and educators should remain in control of AI experiences in classrooms,” the press release reads. Child advocacy and tech policy groups have grown increasingly concerned about minors’ use of AI, including exposure to harmful content and relationships with chatbots that can involve emotional dependency, manipulation, or inappropriate sexual interactions. OpenAI is currently facing at least two lawsuits alleging that ChatGPT contributed to the deaths of teenage users. It also faces another seven lawsuits brought by families of children killed or injured in the Tumbler Ridge school shooting, who allege that ChatGPT enabled the shooter. ChatGPT for Teens arrives as opening arguments begin in a landmark case brought by a coalition of 29 state attorneys general against Meta, which is accused of encouraging addictive social media use among teens and children.

ChatGPT for Teens comes with reduced exposure to content that may be harmful or developmentally inappropriate.