The new version for users aged 13 to 17 introduces restrictions on emotional conversations, learning tools, and parental notifications, while the company faces lawsuits over its impact on minors.
On Tuesday, OpenAI launched ChatGPT for Teens, a specialized version of its AI assistant for teenagers aged 13 to 17, featuring enhanced safety measures and parental oversight options. The global rollout began on August 18, 2026, for free and paid personal accounts, with full availability in Australia expected on September 8, 2026.
This new version will be automatically enabled when the system determines that the user is under 18, or when the user confirms they are between 13 and 17 years old. OpenAI states that it uses artificial intelligence to estimate user age and will apply protective settings to those suspected of being minors, regardless of the birth date listed on their profile.
ChatGPT for Teens introduces stricter content restrictions related to suicide, self-harm, and romantic or sexual conversations. The chatbot will not be allowed to suggest that it has personal feelings for the user, nor will it imply that it is aware of or experiences emotions.
"We want to treat teenagers as teenagers, not as children, but also not as adults," said Ann O'Leary, Vice President of Global Policy at OpenAI, adding that the goal is to protect young people from content that is not age-appropriate.
Available features include Study Mode, quizzes, visual aids for learning, and reminders designed to prevent students from using ChatGPT solely to avoid schoolwork. Users will also be able to set dedicated study times.
"We analyzed which responses or signals might encourage a teenager to develop an emotional relationship with the model," said Allison Mishkin, Head of Child Development at OpenAI.
Parents will be able to link their account to their teenager's account, set periods during which ChatGPT will be unavailable through the "Quiet Hours" option, and manage certain settings. Teenagers will receive a break reminder if they are active for 90 minutes within a three-hour period.
OpenAI is also introducing notifications for parents in certain high-risk situations, including new safety protocols related to eating disorders. In the coming weeks, the company will add parental alerts related to eating disorders. Parents cannot use these controls to read or monitor their teenager's conversations.
The launch of a special version of ChatGPT for minors comes amid an increasingly intense debate about the impact of AI chatbots on children and adolescents. According to research data from Common Sense Media, over 70 percent of American teenagers use AI chatbots as a form of companionship, and nearly half of them regularly interact with virtual interlocutors.
A Pew Research Center study published in December 2025 showed that nearly a third of American teenagers use AI chatbots daily, and more than half of respondents said they had used ChatGPT.
OpenAI faces a series of lawsuits. In April 2026, seven families of victims of the Tumbler Ridge school shooting in British Columbia sued OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, claiming that ChatGPT was complicit in the injuries or deaths of their children. In June 2026, Florida filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and Altman, alleging that they failed to address safety risks for minors.
Last week, a district attorney in Massachusetts charged a 17-year-old with two counts of murder in connection with the deaths of his mother and brother. The teenager had engaged in conversations with ChatGPT about "theoretical ideas or fantasies regarding killing his family" prior to the incident, according to a statement from the district attorney's office. OpenAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the case.
Last fall, OpenAI introduced controls that allow parents to disable features such as memory and chat history and receive notifications about acute distress in their child. On Tuesday, the company stated that it has implemented "industry leading protections and policies."
