The news: OpenAI added restrictions for ChatGPT users under 18, prioritizing safety over freedom for teen users. The changes are in response to growing legal and regulatory pressure surrounding AI chatbot risks to minors, per TechCrunch. 

These changes are urgent—53% of high school students and 42% of middle school students use AI at least weekly, per Gallup. The policies also follow a wrongful death lawsuit against OpenAI after a teen boy died by suicide. 

ChatGPT for teens is coming: OpenAI, which has 700 million weekly active users (WAUs), is building a system that would try to automatically sort users into one of two separate versions of ChatGPT—one for adolescents 13 to 17, and one for adults 18 and older, per NBC. OpenAI’s policies require that users be at least 13 years old to access ChatGPT. 

“We prioritize safety ahead of privacy and freedom for teens; this is a new and powerful technology, and we believe minors need significant protection,” OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said. 

Key updates include:

• Blocked interactions. ChatGPT will no longer engage in “flirtatious talk” or provide detailed responses on sexual topics with underage users.
• Crisis intervention. The AI will deploy strict guardrails around suicide and self-harm discussions. In severe cases, it may attempt to alert parents or local authorities.
• Parental controls. New features allow parents to set “blackout hours,” limiting when a linked teen account can access the service.
• Age verification. In some cases, OpenAI may require ID verification, a privacy tradeoff deemed necessary for safety.

A new era of AI age-gating and compliance: The technical challenge of creating an “adolescent” version of ChatGPT underscores the industrywide push toward age-appropriate experiences, setting a new precedent for compliance.

OpenAI’s initiative anticipates stricter government oversight, transforming a technical feature into a core compliance requirement.

Creating safe, segmented environments is no longer optional for platforms targeting youth. OpenAI’s framework will likely become the baseline standard for all consumer-facing AI tools, forcing competitors to match its safety protocols.

Our take: By segmenting teen and adult experiences, OpenAI sets a precedent that forces advertisers to rethink how and where they engage with users.

Age gating pushes marketers to balance reach with responsibility. Those who adapt early—auditing media buys, vetting AI tools, and leaning into ethical safeguards—will secure trust and minimize regulatory risk.