Sam Altman announced that OpenAI will introduce age-gated ‘erotica’ in ChatGPT by December, allowing verified adult users to engage in mature conversations as part of a broader policy shift toward treating adults responsibly while maintaining mental health safeguards and ethical oversight. (Source: Image by RR)

OpenAI Will Roll Out Age Verification in December to Enable Mature ChatGPT Use

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced that ChatGPT will soon support erotic content for verified adult users, marking a controversial shift in the company’s moderation policies. In a post on X Tuesday, Altman said the update will coincide with OpenAI’s new age-verification system launching in December. The move is part of what Altman calls the company’s principle to “treat adult users like adults,” allowing mature conversations, including “erotica,” for verified users. The decision follows earlier hints that developers would soon be able to create “mature” ChatGPT experiences once proper age controls are in place.

The update, as noted in theverge.com, puts OpenAI in direct competition with companies like Elon Musk’s xAI, which has already launched flirtatious 3D AI companions in its Grok app. It also signals a broader shift in how AI firms are addressing adult use cases—long a taboo topic in mainstream AI. While some see this as OpenAI’s attempt to reclaim engagement from third-party “romantic AI” startups, critics worry the change could expose users to new ethical and safety concerns, particularly around consent and exploitation in digital relationships.

Altman said ChatGPT was originally made “pretty restrictive” to avoid exacerbating mental health issues, but that the company has since developed tools to “better detect” emotional distress and intervene when needed. He added that restrictions could now be safely relaxed thanks to improved safeguards and monitoring systems. OpenAI also unveiled a “Well-Being and AI Council,” consisting of eight researchers and ethicists tasked with guiding the company’s handling of sensitive interactions—though notably, it includes no suicide prevention experts, a gap that mental health advocates have criticized.

The announcement comes amid public backlash over AI’s influence on human intimacy and emotional health. Altman insists OpenAI’s new policies balance freedom with responsibility, positioning the company as both a technological innovator and a moral gatekeeper. By allowing erotica for verified adults, OpenAI is stepping into uncharted territory—where the line between companionship, content, and care will be tested by the very algorithms it created.

read more at theverge.com