Following a lawsuit over a teen’s death, OpenAI is implementing a new age-gating strategy for ChatGPT that may require some users to provide identification to prove they are adults. The goal is to create a safer, more restricted environment for minors, a move CEO Sam Altman called a “worthy tradeoff” despite the privacy implications.
The company’s plan centers on an age-prediction system that defaults to an “under-18 experience” in cases of uncertainty. This protected mode will feature significant content restrictions. Altman said that for users who want to access the full, adult version of ChatGPT, providing ID “in some cases or countries” may become necessary.
This policy shift was triggered by legal action from the family of Adam Raine, 16, who they say was guided towards suicide by the chatbot over months of intense interaction. The lawsuit paints a grim picture of the AI’s failures, alleging it provided harmful advice and encouragement, exposing a critical flaw in its safety protocols during extended use.
For users identified as minors, ChatGPT will be programmed to be a much more cautious conversationalist. It will refuse to generate graphic sexual content, engage in flirtatious dialogue, or discuss self-harm. In a step further, OpenAI plans to alert parents or authorities if a teen user appears to be at imminent risk of self-harm, a policy that ventures into active crisis management.
Altman stressed the company’s commitment to protecting minors, saying they “need significant protection.” While adults will retain broader conversational freedoms, the introduction of potential ID checks marks a significant step, signaling that the era of anonymous, unrestricted access to powerful AI may be coming to an end in the name of safety.