OpenAI is launching a teen-focused version of ChatGPT with stronger safety guardrails and learning-focused features designed for users aged 13 to 17.
OpenAI is about to unveil a new version of ChatGPT specifically designed for teenagers. The San Francisco-based company says ChatGPT for teens, launching Tuesday, has been tailored for kids aged 13 to 17, with stronger guardrails and content restrictions around topics such as suicide, self-harm, and romantic or sexual conversations. The AI agents have also been designed to support homework and help students learn, rather than simply provide them with answers.
OpenAI has reiterated that the idea behind the new agent is to guide teens toward healthy use of AI in an age-appropriate environment.
Ann O’Leary on treating teens appropriately
Ann O’Leary, Vice President of Global Policy at OpenAI, 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, where 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.”
Risks abound in widespread teen usage of AI chatbots
Parents, educators and child development experts have repeatedly raised concerns over children’s use of AI chatbots, which have been blamed for facilitating cheating on schoolwork and responding to queries about suicide. While adults themselves are also falling victim to ChatGPT and developing unhealthy relationships with it, OpenAI says the new version comes with more stringent restrictions for younger users who may be particularly vulnerable.
Expanded safety protections
OpenAI does not verify users’ ages, but it already uses age assurance to estimate whether someone is under 18 based on factors such as the types of queries they make. If someone is identified as, or identifies themselves as, a minor, they are automatically placed into the teen version of the chatbot. These checks work similarly to Meta’s approach to teen accounts on Instagram, which come with stricter content restrictions.
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To use parental controls, both the teen user and their parent or guardian would have to opt in. However, the idea behind the teen version is to ensure that the model remains safe to use even when parental controls are not enabled. If parents link their accounts to ChatGPT, they will be able to set quiet hours, during which their children will not be able to access ChatGPT, and receive notifications in limited high-risk situations, such as when there is a possibility that a user could hurt themselves.
For homework help, OpenAI said the teen-focused chatbot is designed to guide students toward finding answers themselves rather than simply providing easy solutions. The company already offers a version of ChatGPT for teachers, and a model tailored to studying and homework could give OpenAI another avenue to expand its presence in schools.