OpenAI unveils parental controls for teen ChatGPT users

OpenAI will be integrating parental controls into ChatGPT in a bid to bolster teen user safety following a lawsuit that alleged the artificial intelligence chatbot's role in encouraging a teen to take his own life, reports The Register.

Such controls, which will be effective once teens approve of their parents' connection to their accounts, would not only curb the likelihood of sensitive or graphic content but also enable the establishment of ChatGPT time limits, the deactivation of the chatbot's voice mode or memory, and the removal of image generation capabilities, according to OpenAI, which added that parents of teens exhibiting acute distress would be informed via emails, text messages, or push notifications.

Teen accounts could also be opted out of model training using the parental controls. OpenAI is also creating an age prediction system to automate teen-appropriate settings for users younger than 18.

"I'm especially proud of this launch because it combines two things we care deeply about: helping teens learn, explore, and create with ChatGPT - and giving families tools to guide that experience," said ChatGPT Head Nick Turley.