OpenAI argues that today’s teenagers are the first generation to grow up with AI and that this technology will significantly shape their future. The company states that nearly nine in ten teens who use ChatGPT do so in a single week for learning, information, skill building, or productivity. From this perspective, OpenAI believes teens should be able to use AI, but that access must be paired with protections specifically designed for young people.
What the company has introduced and why
Over the past year, OpenAI has implemented several measures intended to make ChatGPT safer for teens. These include age prediction, expanded Parental Controls, family-facing resources, and educational features aimed at promoting deeper understanding rather than merely supplying answers.
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Study Mode: Developed with teachers, learning scientists and pedagogy experts, Study Mode guides students through problems step by step using prompting questions and structured explanations, without simply giving the final answer. Early evaluations indicate promising gains in student performance. Teens can enable Study Mode themselves, but parents of linked teen accounts can now turn it on from Parental Controls; when enabled it is active by default at the start of a new chat.
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Education starter prompts and interactive learning: OpenAI rolled out education-focused starter prompts to make it easier to break topics into steps, turn notes into study guides, create flashcards or practice questions, and check evidence and clarity. Interactive math and science experiences — designed for active engagement rather than passive consumption — now attract 18 million weekly users. Those experiences have been expanded to more than 250 new topics, from integrals and mitosis to moon phases and photosynthesis. A pronunciation feature using audio is available in more than 61 languages.
Age‑appropriate safeguards and encouraging healthy habits
If the system estimates a user is under 18, it automatically provides a more age‑appropriate experience. Teens retain the ability to learn, create and explore with ChatGPT, but additional safeguards aim to reduce exposure to inappropriate content, including stricter limits around graphic violence, self‑harm, risky viral challenges, unhealthy body‑image content, and dangerous or sexual/romantic roleplay. The stated goal is to keep ChatGPT a tool for learning and creativity, not a substitute for real‑world relationships.
To encourage balanced device use, teens who spend extended time in ChatGPT now receive more frequent break reminders intended to prompt them to pause and step away. These reminders are meant to support healthier technology habits while preserving freedom for learning and creative problem solving.
Parental controls, notifications and handling serious incidents
OpenAI says the best safety tools help families manage teens’ online experiences together. Parental Controls and notification features allow parents to set quiet hours, turn off voice mode, control access to image generation, and receive alerts in certain high‑risk situations, such as indications of potential self‑harm.
The company has expanded notifications to cover cases where a linked teen account is deactivated for policy violations — for example, violent threats or acts of online violence. The approach aims to inform parents about serious incidents while respecting teens’ privacy and encouraging offline conversations and support.
In developing these features, OpenAI consulted several experts, including Moonshot, an organization focused on preventing online violence, to ensure the interventions are thoughtful and effective.
Educational and expert partnerships
OpenAI aims to give parents, teens and educators clear guidance for responsible AI use. It publishes educational resources in more than 50 languages, including “A Family Guide to Help Teens Use AI Responsibly,” tips for talking to teens about AI, and guidance for parents using ChatGPT.
The company collaborates with educators and organizations such as the American Federation of Teachers to learn how AI can support teaching and learning while reinforcing active engagement and critical thinking. It also consults with experts in mental health, child development and youth safety, including the American Psychological Association, its Global Physicians Network, and its Expert Council on Well‑Being and AI.
Standards, open tools and cross‑industry cooperation
OpenAI supports developing scalable global standards for youth AI safety and has suggested a dedicated AI Safety Institute. It has open‑sourced policies and tools that other developers can integrate, and works with organizations such as Common Sense Media and everyone.ai to share lessons and best practices.
This year OpenAI joined the Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI), a long‑standing advocate for safe online experiences for families and young people. The partnership aims to advance understanding of effective approaches, strengthen age‑appropriate protections and parental tools, and support industry‑wide efforts to enable safe, responsible access to AI for young people.
Ongoing work and next steps
OpenAI acknowledges protecting young people online requires continuous progress. In the coming months the company plans to continue strengthening age‑appropriate protections, offering parents more tools and controls, improving safeguards against serious harms, advancing research on healthy AI use, and building more experiences that help teens learn actively and use AI with confidence.
The company says it remains committed to working with teens, parents, educators, experts and communities worldwide to expand safe, broad access to AI for young people.
