OpenAI has introduced ChatGPT for Teens, a new experience for users aged 13 to 17 that combines learning features with additional age-appropriate safety protections. Users identified as under 18 by OpenAI’s systems, or those who state that they are between 13 and 17, are automatically placed in the ChatGPT for Teens experience.
The launch builds on OpenAI’s earlier work around Parental Controls, the Under-18 Model Spec, Teen Safety Blueprint and Age-Prediction.
ChatGPT for Teens
The experience is designed to support learning outside the classroom and includes:
- Study Mode: Uses guiding questions, step-by-step support, scaffolding and knowledge checks to help teens work through problems instead of simply receiving answers. OpenAI said it was developed with teachers, scientists and pedagogy experts.
- Responsible Homework Reminders: Redirect teens toward Study Mode when they appear to be trying to shortcut an assignment.
- Quizzes: Help teens practice and test their understanding.
- Learning Visualizations: Provide visual explanations for difficult concepts.
- Study Hours: Let teens or parents choose times when Study Mode is enabled by default. Teens can still remove it for individual chats.
OpenAI said research on learning techniques such as active retrieval and self-explanation can support comprehension and longer-term retention. The company also said its early evaluation of tools such as Study Mode has shown gains in student performance.
New teen users see an onboarding carousel explaining the available capabilities and protections. They can customize their background theme and app icon, along with accent colors and voice variations.
Parents’ Guide to Learning with ChatGPT
OpenAI has launched the Parents’ Guide to Learning with ChatGPT, covering the ChatGPT for Teens experience, parental controls and ways families can use ChatGPT for learning.
The guide suggests using ChatGPT for:
- Learning: Practicing English, quizzing each other and explaining school topics.
- Creating: Writing stories, designing invitations and turning ideas into images.
- Everyday tasks: Making travel plans, creating meal and tiffin plans, and drafting school emails.
- Problem solving: Comparing options and summarizing documents.
It also recommends using ChatGPT to understand concepts, break assignments into steps, practice with quizzes, brainstorm ideas and get feedback, while continuing to think critically, explain information in their own words and verify important information.
The guide covers Deep Research, Voice Mode, Images and Memory. Deep Research readsl details and can be reviewed or disabled in Settings. Temporary Chats are not remembered
OpenAI launched the guide alongside its “Open Dialogues on Youth Safety and AI” event in Mumbai. Actors and authors Tisca Chopra and Soha Ali Khan shared their perspectives and experiences of navigating AI as parents. The event brought together parents, educators and public voices to discuss youth safety and AI.
Safety and parental controls
Age-appropriate protections are enabled by default for users under 18, covering higher-risk areas such as:
- Self-harm
- Violence
- Eating disorders
- Dangerous activities
- Sexually explicit or graphic content
The protections are based on OpenAI’s Under-18 Principles and updated Under-18 Model Spec. ChatGPT should not use romantic language, encourage emotional dependence, or imply that it has feelings or consciousness.
Other safety measures include:
- More frequent prompts during extended use to encourage teens to take breaks and remind them they are interacting with AI.
- Reminders against sharing private or sensitive images.
- Interventions that can interrupt conversations in high-risk situations and may include a cooldown period.
Parents can link their accounts through Settings > Parental Controls > Add family member. Linked parents can manage selected settings, including Voice Mode and Image Generation, set Quiet Hours and enable Study Hours.
They can also receive limited safety notifications in certain high-risk situations, including some involving self-harm, violence and eating disorders. OpenAI said it is adding additional notifications related to eating disorders while limiting what is shared and focusing on situations where offline support may be important.
Teen safety research and AI projects
OpenAI has begun sharing new under-18 evaluations in its system cards covering self-harm, eating disorders, violence, age-restricted goods and services, and sexual content. The evaluations assess model performance against teen-specific standards in sensitive-content cases.
OpenAI also highlighted two teen-led AI projects:
- WiFind: Developed by Rushil Kukreja, Arhan Menta and Nayel Rehman in Virginia, the search-and-rescue system uses existing Wi-Fi signals to help locate survivors trapped beneath rubble. The project grew from volunteer work with a local search-and-rescue organisation.
- Audemy: Developed by Crystal Yang in Texas, the platform creates audio-based educational games for blind students. OpenAI said it reached 200,000 users and 50 games.
OpenAI has also announced a partnership with CodeAI to provide students and educators with tools and restems, and creating with AI
Availability
ChatGPT for Teens is the default experience for users identified as under 18, including those who state that they are between 13 and 17.
Speaking on the occasion, Pragya Misra, Head of Strategy & Global Affairs, India, OpenAI, said,
Parents and educators play an important role in how young people learn, create and explore with AI. That is why we created the Parents’ Guide to Learning with ChatGPT. Young people should not have to choose between opportunity and protection. They benefit most when the adults around them stay involved, ask questions, encourage critical thinking, and help build healthy, age-appropriate boundaries around how AI is used.
