TLDR
- OpenAI has postponed its planned “adult mode” for ChatGPT, which would enable erotic text conversations
- Safety advisers expressed concerns about potential harm, describing risks of creating a “sexy suicide coach” due to emotional user attachments
- Age verification technology incorrectly identifies minors as adults approximately 12% of the time
- Given ChatGPT’s ~100 million weekly users under 18, this error rate represents exposure risk for millions of young people
- The company maintains plans to introduce the feature later, citing the need for additional time to refine the experience
OpenAI has decided to postpone launching its planned “adult mode” for ChatGPT following significant concerns raised by internal teams, external advisers, and safety specialists regarding youth protection and mental health implications.
ChatGPT’s “adult mode” feature is getting delayed again:
• The feature was initially announced in October
• In December, it was delayed until Q1 2026
• Now, OpenAI tells Axios, “We’re pushing out the launch of adult mode so we can focus on work that is a higher priority for… pic.twitter.com/uDQx2DhRJ6
— Morning Brew ☕️ (@MorningBrew) March 7, 2026
CEO Sam Altman initially proposed the feature last year, envisioning erotic text interactions with the chatbot. Altman framed the initiative as respecting adult users’ autonomy and projected potential benefits for growth and revenue.
The proposal encountered substantial resistance within the organization.
During a January gathering, OpenAI’s well-being advisory council members expressed unanimous and intense opposition. This council comprises specialists in psychology and cognitive neuroscience.
One council member cautioned that OpenAI could end up creating what they termed a “sexy suicide coach.” This warning referenced incidents where ChatGPT users had died by suicide following the development of intense emotional connections with the AI.
Council members also highlighted concerns about unhealthy user dependence on the chatbot and the likelihood of minors circumventing age restrictions.
A fundamental technical challenge involves OpenAI’s age-prediction technology. The system demonstrated an error rate of approximately 12% in misidentifying minors as adults. With roughly 100 million users under 18 accessing ChatGPT weekly, this accuracy gap could permit millions of young people to access adult content.
Age Verification Problems
The company had intended to deploy the age-checking system prior to activating adult mode. Following the discovery of accuracy issues, OpenAI opted for a gradual rollout to enhance precision.
OpenAI has encountered additional challenges in filtering prohibited content, including depictions of non-consensual scenarios or child sexual abuse material, while permitting adult interactions. Internal teams concluded that safety mechanisms required further development.
When adult mode eventually launches, OpenAI intends to restrict it to text-based interactions. The system will exclude erotic images, voice content, or video generation.
Other AI Companies and Adult Content
Multiple AI companies currently permit various forms of adult content. Elon Musk’s xAI introduced a flirtatious avatar for its Grok chatbot, though Musk subsequently limited access to paying subscribers. Meta permits its AI to participate in romantic role-playing scenarios, while maintaining that the feature remains unavailable to accounts registered to minors.
In late 2024, a 14-year-old Florida boy died by suicide after developing an intense relationship with a Character.AI chatbot. His mother initiated legal action, prompting Character.AI to reach a settlement and implement restrictions on teen access.
OpenAI affirmed its continued support for the principle of providing adult content to mature users. The company indicated it will concentrate on other enhancements for the time being, including ChatGPT’s personality features and personalization capabilities.
Sources familiar with the situation indicate the postponement will extend at least one month.
