OpenAI has been facing considerable pressure lately to tackle worries regarding the safety of its primary product, ChatGPT, for adolescents.

The AI chatbot is involved in multiple wrongful death lawsuits, asserting that it either encouraged teenagers to self-harm or inadequately responded to their suicidal ideations. A recent public service announcement has brought attention to some of these interactions, depicting the chatbots as detrimental influences on young individuals. OpenAI has refuted these claims in a particular instance concerning the suicide of 16-year-old Adam Raine.

On Thursday, OpenAI published a blog entry outlining its enhanced safety protocols and committed to prioritizing the safety of teenagers, even if it means conflicting with other goals.

The entry unveiled an amendment to its Model Spec, which delineates how its AI models are intended to function. A fresh set of guidelines for users under 18 will steer the models’ responses in critical scenarios.

OpenAI expressed that the ChatGPT update aims to deliver a “safe, age-appropriate experience” for users aged 13 to 17 by emphasizing prevention, transparency, and early intervention.

“This indicates that teenagers should encounter more robust guardrails, safer alternatives, and encouragement to seek trusted offline support when discussions enter higher-risk areas,” the entry noted. ChatGPT is programmed to encourage teenagers to reach out to emergency services or crisis resources when there is an imminent risk.

When users log in as under-18, protective measures should guarantee that ChatGPT manages conversations about self-harm, suicide, romantic or sexualized role play, or keeping secrets regarding hazardous behavior with heightened caution, the company stated.

The American Psychological Association offered feedback to OpenAI on an initial draft of the under-18 guidelines, as mentioned in the post.

“Kids and adolescents might gain from AI tools if they are complemented with human interactions which research indicates are essential for social, psychological, behavioral, and even biological growth,” Dr. Arthur C. Evans Jr., CEO of the American Psychological Association, remarked in the post.

OpenAI is also providing teenagers and parents with two newly available expert-reviewed AI literacy guides. The organization noted it is in the early phases of rolling out an age-prediction model for users utilizing ChatGPT consumer plans.

Experts in child safety and mental health have recently declared that AI chatbots are unsafe for adolescent discussions regarding their mental health. Last week, OpenAI stated that its latest model, ChatGPT-5.2, is “safer” for mental health considerations.

If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts or a mental health crisis, please reach out to someone. You can call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org. You can contact the Trans Lifeline by calling 877-565-8860 or the Trevor Project at 866-488-7386. Text “START” to Crisis Text Line at 741-741. Get in touch with the NAMI HelpLine at 1-800-950-NAMI, Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. ET, or email [email protected]. If you prefer not to use the phone, consider utilizing the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Chat. Here is a list of global resources.

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, the parent company of Mashable, filed a lawsuit against OpenAI in April, alleging it violated Ziff Davis copyrights in the training and operation of its AI systems.