OpenAI launches ChatGPT for teens with enhanced safety features

OpenAI has introduced "ChatGPT for Teens," a specialized version of its popular AI chatbot designed to offer enhanced safety protections for younger users. The company stated that this new experience aims to help teenagers learn, think critically, deepen their understanding, and confidently utilize AI technology.

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We’re introducing ChatGPT for Teens, an experience designed to help teens learn, think critically, deepen understanding, and use AI with confidence. It provides stronger built-in safety protections for teens, including features to promote healthy use and additional controls for parents.

The teen-focused version incorporates several features aimed at promoting responsible usage and providing parental oversight. These include parental controls that allow parents to manage certain settings, though they cannot access their teenager's chat history. Additionally, a "study mode" offers step-by-step guidance, knowledge checks, and homework reminders, while "study hours" enable parents to designate times when new chats automatically activate in study mode.

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Across that work, we have been guided by four commitments: put teen safety first, encourage real-world support, treat teens like teens, and be transparent about how our systems should behave.

OpenAI emphasized its commitment to prioritizing teen safety, encouraging real-world support, treating teens appropriately, and maintaining transparency about its systems' behavior. The company believes that with these safeguards, ChatGPT for Teens can effectively support teenagers' education by guiding them toward critical thinking processes rather than simply providing quick answers. Users identified as under 18, or indicating they are between 13 and 17, will be automatically directed to this specialized version.

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If they ask for a quick answer, ChatGPT for Teens can guide them toward the steps and questions that help them work through it themselves.