OpenAI announced plans to introduce a version of its ChatGPT service that would cater to users under the age of 18 alongside parental controls designed to improve safety features for teenagers. This version of the chatbot is expected to debut at the end of September.
The under-18 experience comes as OpenAI and other tech companies face a US Federal Trade Commission inquiry into the possible negative effects of artificial intelligence chatbots on children and teenagers. The company also faces a lawsuit from a family blaming the chatbot for their teenage son's death by suicide.
According to the company, OpenAI will identify when a user is a minor and automatically redirect to the age-appropriate version of that app. It's designed to block graphic and sexual content and get law enforcement involved in "rare cases of acute distress," as CNBC reported.
The AI company said it is developing a technology to predict a user's age better, but ChatGPT will default to the teen-friendly experience if it is uncertain or has incomplete information.
The parental controls users can expect include allowing parents to link their ChatGPT account with their teen's via email, setting blackout hours to render the app unusable for their children at certain times, guiding how the chatbot responds, managing features that can be disabled, and receiving notifications if their child exhibits acute distress.