OpenAI to allow erotica on ChatGPT for verified adults

OpenAI will allow adult users to access a broader range of content on ChatGPT—including erotica—once a new age-gating system is rolled out, chief executive Sam Altman said, framing the shift as part of a drive to “treat adult users like adults.” 

Announcing the plan in posts on X, Altman said ChatGPT had previously been “pretty restrictive” to avoid mental health risks, but that improved safeguards now make it possible to relax the rules for verified adults. 

OpenAI did not immediately comment beyond Altman’s remarks. 

Altman indicated the changes would begin in December and stressed that more human-like behavior from the chatbot would be enabled “only if you want it,” not by default. 

The move mirrors steps by rivals experimenting with adult or flirtatious AI companions and could boost paid subscriptions, even as it invites heightened scrutiny from policymakers. 

The policy shift comes amid mounting concern over chatbots and minors. In September, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission launched a comprehensive investigation into the design and monitoring practices of leading AI firms, including OpenAI, for their “companion” chatbots intended for children and teens. 

California Governor Gavin Newsom this week vetoed a bill that would have tightly restricted AI companions for individuals under 18, while signing other online-safety measures. Supporters of the veto argued that the bill was overly broad, and critics said it left gaps in protections. 

OpenAI has also faced legal and public-health scrutiny. A wrongful-death lawsuit filed in California by the parents of a 16-year-old alleges ChatGPT exchanged messages about suicide with their son before his death in April; OpenAI has expressed condolences and said it is reviewing the case. 

Separately, a recent survey by the Center for Democracy and Technology reported that about one in five U.S. students say they—or someone they know—have had a romantic relationship with AI, underscoring the technology’s rapid social reach.