OpenAI Launches ChatGPT for Teens With New Safety Tools

OpenAI's ChatGPT for Teens is a dedicated version of the ChatGPT chatbot designed for users aged 13 to 17, featuring stronger built-in safety protections, parental controls, and study support tools. The product, developed by OpenAI, is a category of AI chatbot specifically tailored for minors. It solves the problem of providing educational AI assistance to teenagers while mitigating risks associated with sensitive content, romantic roleplay, and academic dishonesty. The variant is rolling out globally starting 18 August 2026, with Australia receiving access around 8 September 2026.

Key Facts

What Is Study Mode in ChatGPT for Teens?

Study Mode is a feature in ChatGPT for Teens that walks students through a problem step-by-step rather than providing direct answers. It is designed to promote learning by guiding minors through the problem-solving process. The system also includes a "responsible homework reminder" that detects if a student is trying to shortcut an assignment and redirects them back to Study Mode.

At the end of a lesson, the study-focused AI provides quizzes and learning visualisations to ensure the minor understands the discussed material. Additionally, the new Study Hours feature allows teens or their parents to set specific periods when Study Mode is active by default.

Study Mode in ChatGPT for Teens is designed to walk students through problems step-by-step, with a "responsible homework reminder" that redirects users who attempt to bypass the learning process.

What Is the CodeAI Collaboration?

OpenAI is partnering with CodeAI to educate both students and teachers on AI literacy, coinciding with the launch of ChatGPT for Teens. The collaboration aims to help teens understand how AI works, how to direct and question it, and how to create with it. OpenAI states that teachers play a significant role in shaping how AI enters the classroom.

"Teachers play a meaningful role in shaping how AI enters the classroom."

OpenAI

The CodeAI collaboration focuses on AI literacy education for students and teachers, covering how AI works, how to direct it, and how to create with it.

How Do the Safety Measures Work?

Once ChatGPT detects that a user is under 18, or if they self-identify as being between 13 and 17, they are automatically placed into ChatGPT for Teens, where stronger protections and safety features are on by default. This means minors cannot discuss dangerous or sensitive topics such as self-harm, violence, eating disorders, dangerous activities, and explicit sexual or graphic content.

Parents with linked teen accounts can set Quiet Hours, a feature that blocks teenagers from accessing the chatbot during specified times in a day. Parents can also manage selected settings and receive safety notifications, which are currently limited to high-risk situations. OpenAI says it will add notifications related to eating disorders in the future.

ChatGPT for Teens automatically activates stronger safety protections for users under 18, blocking sensitive topics and allowing parents to set Quiet Hours and receive safety notifications.

How Does ChatGPT for Teens Handle Romantic Content?

ChatGPT for Teens immediately blocks romantic and sexualised roleplays to prevent minors from pursuing romantic relationships with AI. Per OpenAI's updated under-18 model spec, the chatbot will avoid using romantic language, encouraging emotional dependence, or implying that it has feelings or consciousness. These protections are intended to reinforce healthier real-world relationships.

The chatbot also sends break reminders to encourage teens to step away from the platform. Teen users receive a heads-up before uploading potentially sensitive images, and there is a dedicated onboarding flow that explains the platform's learning and safety features. OpenAI says its teen safety protections are built on research involving developmental science, expert input, and active stress-testing of AI guardrails.

ChatGPT for Teens blocks romantic and sexualised roleplays, avoiding romantic language and emotional dependence to reinforce healthier real-world relationships for minors.

Who Is This For?

ChatGPT for Teens is designed for minors aged 13 to 17 years old, as well as their parents and teachers. The ideal users are students who need guided study support, parents who want to control their child's AI usage with features like Quiet Hours and Study Hours, and educators involved in AI literacy. The product is also relevant for schools and institutions looking to integrate AI into classrooms with safety guardrails.

In testing conducted in Malaysia, the study mode was found to be fully operational, as were parental controls including Quiet Hours and Study Hours. When Quiet Hours are enabled, minors receive a brief notification that they have been blocked, after which the chatbot stops responding.

ChatGPT for Teens is intended for students aged 13-17, their parents, and teachers, offering study support and parental controls for safer AI use in educational settings.

Common Questions

How does ChatGPT for Teens detect if a user is under 18?

ChatGPT automatically places a user into ChatGPT for Teens once it detects that the user is under 18, or if they self-identify as being between the ages of 13 and 17. Stronger protections and safety features are then enabled by default.

What are Quiet Hours in ChatGPT for Teens?

Quiet Hours is a parental control feature that blocks teenagers from accessing the chatbot during specified times in a day. When enabled, minors receive a brief notification that they have been blocked, and the chatbot stops responding.

When is ChatGPT for Teens available in Australia?

ChatGPT for Teens is rolling out globally starting 18 August 2026, but Australia will receive the new chatbot variant around 8 September 2026. The rollout is global with this single exception.

Sources and Methodology

This article is based on the original reporting published by Lowyat.NET on 18 August 2026, titled "OpenAI Is Rolling Out ChatGPT For Teens Globally With Stronger Protections." The primary source for the information is an official announcement from OpenAI, linked in the original article. Direct quotes are attributed to OpenAI. This article synthesises information from the single source article and does not include external data beyond what was reported.

This article was last updated on 18 August 2026.