OpenAI debuts ChatGPT for Teens
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OpenAI on Tuesday is unveiling its long-expected teen experience for ChatGPT that features parental controls, efforts to encourage real-world relationships and a focus on learning rather than serving up answers.
Why it matters: The move is likely to rekindle debate over whether teens should be using chatbots at all.
Driving the news: OpenAI says ChatGPT for Teens will differ in significant ways from its standard offering. Among the differences:
- Learning over answers: The teen version will steer users toward working through schoolwork rather than simply providing answers, including a Study Mode and new "responsible homework reminders" that can detect when a teen appears to be trying to shortcut an assignment. Parents and teens can also set "Study Hours" when Study Mode is on by default.
- Stronger content safeguards: Teen accounts will have additional protections around self-harm, eating disorders, violence, dangerous activities and sexually explicit or graphic content. OpenAI is also expanding parental safety notifications to include certain eating-disorder-related situations.
- Less human-like relationships: ChatGPT will be barred from using romantic language or terms of endearment with teens and will be more strongly instructed not to suggest that it has feelings, consciousness or emotions. OpenAI says the changes are intended to reduce anthropomorphism and emotional dependence.
- More nudges to step away: Teens will get more frequent break reminders during extended use, including reminders that they are interacting with AI, as well as warnings before uploading potentially private or sensitive images.
How it works: Users who say they are 13 to 17 — as well as those OpenAI's age-prediction system estimates are under 18 — will automatically be placed into the teen experience.
What they're saying: OpenAI says teens are accessing AI already.
- "If you don't build a safe space for them, they're going to go to a less safe model experience," said Lauren Jonas, OpenAI's head of youth and families.
- "We believe that if you're going to have these tools, they need to be by default safe," she said. "But then it's also critical that teens have safe spaces to engage with these new emerging technologies."
The other side: Some say kids and younger teens shouldn't be building relationships with AI systems at all.
- "Social AI companions are not safe for kids," Jim Steyer, founder and CEO of Common Sense Media, said in a statement last year. "They are designed to create emotional attachment and dependency, which is particularly concerning for developing adolescent brains."
OpenAI faces legal action over its interactions with young people, including a prominent lawsuit from the family of a 16-year-old who killed himself following lengthy interactions with ChatGPT.
- The company pledged last year to increase safeguards for younger users and those in crisis. It added parental controls in September.
The big picture: Teens are already using AI in large numbers, with a Common Sense Media study last year finding nearly three-quarters of U.S. teens saying they use AI for companionship — and more than half of those doing so at least a few times a month.
- More kids will also soon have access via their schools, as Google last week turned on its Gemini chatbot within Google Classroom for K-12 schools.
