OpenAI is shipping a version of ChatGPT tailored to users aged 13 to 17, as reported by Associated Press and the New York Times. The teen variant has stricter safeguards around topics like suicide, self-harm, eating disorders, and sexual content. The chatbot is also prohibited from pretending it has emotions.
When it comes to homework, the AI won't serve up ready-made answers. Instead, it responds with follow-up questions meant to nudge students toward working through problems themselves. OpenAI doesn't check age directly. The company instead evaluates over 2,000 behavioral signals, like typical login times, to flag users under 18 and automatically activate the teen version.
The move comes amid growing legal pressure. Multiple families have sued OpenAI after their children saw harmful content and injured themselves or died. Florida became the first U.S. state to file suit against the company in June.
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