OpenAI Delays ChatGPT “Adult Mode” As Safety Concerns Over Teen Access Arise

OpenAI has pushed back the launch of a planned “adult mode” for ChatGPT after staff and advisers raised safety and tech issues. This is according to a report from The Wall Street Journal.

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The feature would allow adult users to have erotic text chats with the AI bot. Chief executive Sam Altman has argued the move would “treat adult users like adults.” However, the plan has sparked strong debate inside the firm and among outside advisers.

At a January meeting, members of OpenAI’s advisory council on well-being warned that AI erotica could cause real harm. Some said users might form deep bonds with the bot, which could lead to mental health risks.

One adviser warned that the firm risked building a “sexy suicide coach” if users grew too attached to the system.

As a result, OpenAI said the feature will not launch yet. The firm said it will focus first on other product updates, such as ChatGPT’s personality and user tools. Still, the company made clear it plans to release the feature later.

Age Checks and Safety Hurdles

A key issue is how to keep minors from using the feature. OpenAI is testing an age prediction system that tries to estimate a user’s age.

At one point, the system wrongly labeled minors as adults about 12% of the time. With about 100 million users under age 18 using ChatGPT each week, that error rate could allow millions of teens into adult chats.

In addition, the firm must decide how to allow sexual talk while still blocking illegal or harmful themes. These include non-consensual acts or any form of abuse involving minors.

For now, the company plans to limit the feature to text chats only. The bot will not create erotic images, voice, or video.

A Wider Debate Over AI and Adult Content

The issue also reflects a wider debate in tech. Sexual content has often appeared early in new digital tools, from the web to virtual reality.

Today, several AI firms already allow some form of adult role play. For example, Elon Musk’s AI firm xAI added a flirt-style avatar to its Grok bot. Musk later said access would be limited to paid users. Meanwhile, OpenAI says it does not want to act as “the elected moral police of the world.” However, the company also admits the risks are real.

OpenAI says it will keep training its models to avoid forming exclusive bonds with users. The system will also remind people to maintain real-world relationships.

For now, the firm says it still supports the idea of adult chats. Yet it also admits that “getting the experience right will take more time.”

We used TipRanks’ Comparison Tool to align notable traded companies that employ chatbots similar to Grok, ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini. It’s an excellent tool to gain a broader perspective on each stock and the AI industry as a whole.

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