OpenAI Releases ChatGPT for Teens With Default Safeguards

Overview

• OpenAI announced the launch on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, and set ChatGPT for Teens as the default experience for users who state they are 13–17 or whom the system estimates are under 18.
• The product includes a Study Mode that guides students with step‑by‑step questions, Study Hours, quizzes, visual aids and homework reminders to encourage active learning rather than giving finished answers.
• Safeguards are turned on by default to restrict content about self‑harm, violence, eating disorders, dangerous activities and explicit sexual or graphic material, and the model is barred from using romantic language or implying it has feelings.
• Parents can link accounts, set 'hours of silence', control some settings and receive notifications in high‑risk situations including new alerts for eating‑disorder signals.
• OpenAI announced an educational partnership reported as Code.org by most outlets but named as 'CodeAI' in one report, said it will keep testing protections and publish evaluations, and did not disclose how it identifies users under 18 which raises privacy and implementation questions.