OpenAI has launched ChatGPT for Teens, a version of the chatbot tailored to users aged 13 to 17, in response to growing concern over young people's use of AI systems for schoolwork, advice and even emotional companionship. The teen edition applies stricter content protections, including restrictions on discussions of suicide, self-harm and romantic or sexual material, and reframes homework assistance to encourage learning rather than simply producing answers or essays. The move follows warnings from parents, educators and child development experts that AI chatbots can facilitate cheating and, in extreme cases, have been linked to self-harm among young users, whose brains are still developing and who may be especially susceptible to forming attachments to AI.

Parents linked to a teen's account can set "quiet hours" restricting access and will receive alerts in high-risk situations, such as signs a user might harm themselves, with new notifications planned for eating disorder-related concerns. The chatbot is also designed to avoid implying it has feelings, consciousness or emotions, to discourage teenagers from forming unhealthy attachments to it. OpenAI does not verify ages directly but uses "age assurance" techniques, such as analysing the types of queries made, to route suspected minors into the teen version automatically, similar to Meta's approach on Instagram. A 2025 Common Sense Media study found more than 70% of US teens use AI chatbots for companionship, with half using them regularly, underscoring the scale of the issue OpenAI is seeking to address.