OpenAI has introduced ChatGPT for Teens, a dedicated experience designed to help teenagers learn, think critically and use AI while providing stronger protections for younger users.
The experience brings learning and safety features together, with OpenAI automatically placing users into the teen experience if its systems estimate that they are under 18 or if they state that they are between 13 and 17.
At the centre of the offering is a set of learning tools designed to encourage active participation rather than simply provide answers. Study Mode uses guiding questions and step-by-step support, while Responsible Homework Reminders are designed to steer users away from shortcuts and towards collaborative problem-solving. Quizzes and Learning Visualizations provide additional ways to practise and reinforce concepts.
The experience also introduces Study Hours, allowing teenagers or their parents to set periods when Study Mode is enabled by default. OpenAI said teen users will also receive more frequent reminders to take breaks during extended sessions.
Safety protections are strengthened by default in areas OpenAI identifies as higher risk, including self-harm, violence, eating disorders, dangerous activities, and sexually explicit or graphic content.
Parents with linked teen accounts can use Parental Controls to manage selected settings and establish Quiet Hours. They can also receive safety notifications in limited high-risk situations, giving parents an additional layer of visibility without positioning the controls as a substitute for parental involvement.
“Parents and educators play an important role in how young people learn, create and explore with AI,” said Pragya Misra, Head of Strategy & Global Affairs, India, OpenAI. “Young people should not have to choose between opportunity and protection. They benefit most when the adults around them stay involved, ask questions, encourage critical thinking, and help build healthy, age-appropriate boundaries around how AI is used.”
The launch was accompanied by OpenAI’s Open Dialogues on Youth Safety and AI event in Mumbai, where actors and authors Soha Ali Khan and Tisca Chopra discussed their experiences as parents navigating the growing role of AI in children’s lives.
OpenAI also launched its Parents’ Guide to Learning with ChatGPT, a resource aimed at helping parents understand ChatGPT for Teens, configure parental controls, support learning and establish healthier AI habits at home.
For parents, the challenge increasingly extends beyond deciding whether teenagers should use AI to understanding how they should use it. Soha Ali Khan said parents need to encourage children to question what they encounter and maintain independent judgement as AI becomes embedded in everyday life.
Tisca Chopra similarly highlighted the importance of parents becoming informed enough to engage with the technology, rather than attempting to have all the answers. She said understanding features such as Study Mode and Parental Controls can create opportunities for better conversations between parents and teenagers.
The approach reflects a broader attempt to frame teen AI use around both access and boundaries. Rather than treating safety as a separate layer from learning, ChatGPT for Teens combines educational features, stronger default protections and parental controls within the same experience.
OpenAI said the teen experience, the Parents’ Guide and its wider work with families and educators are intended to support age-appropriate AI use while helping young people develop critical thinking and healthier relationships with the technology.