OpenAI has announced $5 million to back independent research into the impact of generative AI on the lives and development of young people, as they increasingly turn to the technology for learning and advice.
The study will look at the individual, social, cultural, and technical factors that shape the effects of AI in teens’ lives and what technical interventions, safeguards and design choices can keep teenagers safer from any harmful effects.
OpenAI said the effects on young people of the technology can sometimes be nuanced, and may depend on what it is used for, and how users engage with it. Individual circumstances, including family, school and community support may also have an impact.
It will also wants to look at the effects of AI use across different age groups, developmental stages, cultures and socioeconomic contexts.
Building an evidence base
Announcing its commitment to the study, the organisation said: “We want to build a stronger evidence base about the way teens use AI, as well as the impacts of AI on their lives, to inform development of AI products for teens and to help answer major questions facing policymakers and regulators.
“For example, we aim to deepen industry-wide understanding of the nuances across age and context, efficacy of safeguards and interventions, and the ways that evidence can inform implementation and evaluation.
“This program will fund independent research into the opportunities and challenges associated with AI use during adolescence, with a particular focus on teens’ social and emotional development.”
OpenAI is seeking input from interdisciplinary fields such as child and adolescent development, psychology, public health, human-computer interaction, communication, sociology, anthropology, data science, and AI safety.
Submissions can come from any country, especially those with a high use of AI among the age group.
Qualitative, quantitative, experimental, observational, theoretical, participatory, and mixed-methods approaches are all eligible for consideration.
How to apply
Submissions are now open until October 6, 2026. A panel of internal experts and advisors will review applications on a rolling basis and notify selected proposals on or before November 13, 2026.
More information and details on how to apply can be found here.
