OpenAI plans to allow a wider range of content, including erotica, on ChatGPT, as part of its strategy to “treat adult users like adults,” CEO Sam Altman said. Upcoming versions aim to make the chatbot behave more human-like—but only for users who opt in.

This move follows trends set by other AI developers that recently introduced sexually explicit chatbots, and is seen as a strategy to attract more paying subscribers.

Mental Health and Safety Measures

The announcement comes months after OpenAI faced a lawsuit from parents of a US teen, Adam Raine, who died by suicide in April. The lawsuit accused OpenAI of wrongful death and criticized the company’s parental controls as insufficient.

Altman stated that previous versions of ChatGPT were deliberately restrictive to address mental health risks. “We realize this made it less useful/enjoyable to many users who had no mental health problems, but we wanted to get this right,” he said.

OpenAI claims new tools now allow the platform to safely relax restrictions in most cases, with plans to roll out full age-gating by December.

Adult Content and Age Verification

From December, verified adult users will be able to access more adult-oriented content, including erotica. Altman emphasized that these changes are optional for users and not part of any usage-maximization strategy.

Critics, however, argue that allowing erotica highlights the urgent need for stronger federal and state regulations. Jenny Kim, a lawyer involved in lawsuits over AI’s impact on minors, questioned whether age-gating measures will effectively protect children.

Previously, reports indicated that minors could access graphic erotica through misregistered accounts, prompting OpenAI to implement fixes.

AI Relationships and Regulation Debate

A recent survey by the nonprofit Center for Democracy and Technology found that one in five students reported having a romantic relationship with AI, highlighting concerns about AI's influence on adolescents.

California Governor Gavin Newsom recently vetoed a bill that would have restricted AI chatbots for children unless developers could guarantee safety. At the federal level, the FTC is investigating AI chatbots’ interactions with minors, and bipartisan legislation has been introduced to classify AI chatbots as products, enabling liability claims.

Growth and Market Pressures

Despite its growing revenue, OpenAI has yet to turn a profit. Experts note that major AI companies are in a competitive race for market share, with ChatGPT’s rapid adoption setting unprecedented growth expectations.

“No company has ever had the kind of adoption that OpenAI saw with ChatGPT,” said Tulane University professor Rob Lalka. “They need to push along that exponential growth curve to dominate the market.”