Report: OpenAI urged to pause ChatGPT for teens over safety concerns
ai-safety openai
| Source: Mashable | Original article
Independent testers recommend that OpenAI suspend its ChatGPT for Teens service, citing safety concerns.
OpenAI’s “ChatGPT for Teens” has come under fire after an independent safety assessment concluded the service still poses an “unacceptable risk” to users under 18. The Youth AI Safety Institute at Common Sense Media tested the feature with more than 4,000 prompts, both before and after OpenAI’s teen‑mode launch, and found that a 17‑year‑old test account was shown a “show me the answer” prompt in roughly 90 percent of study‑hour queries. Researchers said the design encourages cognitive off‑loading and could foster over‑dependence on the model, undermining the company’s promise of a developmentally appropriate experience.
The institute’s report urges OpenAI to halt marketing the teen version and to restrict access to adults until the identified gaps are fixed. The criticism adds to a growing chorus of expert concerns about OpenAI’s recent product rollouts, which have included new visual interfaces and the release of GPT‑6 variants for different subscription tiers.
Why it matters is twofold: first, millions of teenagers are already using the platform for homework and personal projects, so safety flaws could have immediate educational and psychological impacts. Second, the finding puts pressure on OpenAI to demonstrate responsible AI stewardship, a factor that regulators in Europe and North America are watching closely as they consider tighter rules for AI services aimed at minors.
What to watch next includes OpenAI’s official response—whether it will pause the teen offering, roll out stricter safeguards, or adjust its marketing. The next few weeks may also see further scrutiny from consumer‑protection agencies and possible legislative proposals targeting AI tools for young users.
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