ChatGPT Introduces a Dedicated Version for Teens

OpenAI is introducing a dedicated version of ChatGPT for teenagers, with new safety features designed to reduce the chatbot’s ability to appear human-like.

According to reports by ISNA and the BBC, the new measures will apply to users under 18. For newly created teen accounts, OpenAI will disable ChatGPT’s human-sounding voice response feature in an effort to limit the technology’s ability to imitate human interaction.

The teen-focused version will also encourage users to stop using the chatbot when necessary. It will remind them that ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence system and that it can wait, rather than creating pressure for continuous interaction.

OpenAI said the decision was not made in response to a specific incident involving children believing that ChatGPT is alive. However, the company acknowledged growing concerns that people may become convinced that AI tools possess consciousness.

Last year, Mustafa Suleyman, Microsoft’s AI chief, said that apparently conscious AI products kept him awake at night because of his concerns about their impact on society.

In other areas, OpenAI’s approach appears to reflect features already developed for teen accounts by major social media platforms. In a post introducing the teen version of ChatGPT, the company said that teenagers’ use of AI should be supported by safeguards appropriate to their stage of development, strengthen real-world relationships and promote healthy use over time.

According to the company, teen accounts will be enabled by default for users who identify themselves as teenagers during registration, as well as for individuals whom OpenAI determines to be under 18. The company did not provide further details about how it would identify these users.

Children under the age of 13 are not permitted to use ChatGPT.