OpenAI began rolling out ChatGPT for Teens in August. The mode activates automatically when a user is under 18, enabling parental controls and restricting conversations on sensitive topics. The company reported that teens spend under 15 minutes a day on average using ChatGPT, with fewer than 2 per cent chatting for over three hours straight.
OpenAI plans to add a college application planning tool covering requirements, deadlines and financial aid, plus study features such as flashcards and quiz-making. Teens using the dedicated version sent more education-related messages and used learning visualizations and Study Mode.
Safety alerts often come too late for secondary students
- Common Sense Media testing found ChatGPT for Teens did not reliably alert parents when teen accounts discussed suicide, self-harm or eating disorders.
- OpenAI said parental account linking can take hours and some alerts only appeared after weeks of sensitive-topic history.
- The company plans to roll out a college application planning tool with flashcards and easier quiz-making for older secondary and university-bound students.
Before your teen uses ChatGPT for Teens
- Set up parental controls immediately upon linking your account, as OpenAI confirmed alerts may take hours to activate.
- Review what Study Mode and learning visualizations offer your child's subjects before assuming ChatGPT replaces tutoring or textbooks.
- Check in regularly about sensitive topics your teen discusses, since parental notifications are not yet reliable for mental health conversations.