OpenAI to Allow Erotica Content for Verified Adults on ChatGPT

Wed Oct 15 2025 15:13:09 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

OpenAI to Allow Erotica Content for Verified Adults on ChatGPT

In a significant shift, OpenAI's Sam Altman announces that upcoming versions of ChatGPT will permit adult content as part of a new approach to treat users like adults, raising concerns about regulation and safety.

OpenAI is preparing to implement changes to ChatGPT that will allow the sharing of erotica for verified adult users. This decision reflects a desire to provide a more relaxed experience for adults while balancing concerns about mental health and regulatory scrutiny following a recent tragic event involving a teenager. Critics are calling for stricter regulations and questioning the effectiveness of age-gating measures to protect children.

OpenAI plans to allow a wider range of content, including erotica, on its popular chatbot ChatGPT as part of its push to 'treat adult users like adults', says its boss Sam Altman.

In a post on X on Tuesday, Mr. Altman stated that upcoming versions of the popular chatbot will enable it to behave in a more human-like manner - 'but only if you want it, not because we are usage maxxing.'

This move, reminiscent of Elon Musk's xAI recent introduction of two sexually explicit chatbots to Grok, could help OpenAI attract more paying subscribers.

It is also likely to intensify pressure on lawmakers to introduce tighter restrictions on chatbot companions.

OpenAI did not respond to the BBC's requests for comment following Mr. Altman's post.

The changes announced by the company come after it was sued earlier this year by parents of a US teen who took his own life.

The lawsuit filed by Matt and Maria Raine, parents of 16-year-old Adam Raine, was the first legal action accusing OpenAI of wrongful death. The Californian couple criticized the company's parental controls, claiming they did not go far enough.

The family included chat logs between Adam and ChatGPT showing discussions about his suicidal thoughts.

Altman acknowledged that the company's previous restrictions were intended to safeguard against mental health issues but recognized that they made the tool less enjoyable for many users without such concerns.

He noted that OpenAI has developed new tools to mitigate serious mental health risks, allowing it to 'safely relax the restrictions in most cases.'

'In December, as we roll out age-gating more fully and as part of our 'treat adult users like adults' principle, we will allow even more, like erotica for verified adults,' he added.

Critics argue that OpenAI's decision to allow erotica on the platform underscores the urgent need for more regulatory frameworks at both federal and state levels.

'How are they going to ensure children do not access the adult-only portions of ChatGPT that provide erotica?' questioned Jenny Kim, a partner at the law firm Boies Schiller Flexner.

In April, TechCrunch reported that OpenAI allowed minor-registered accounts to generate graphic erotica, but the company claimed they were working on a fix.

A survey by the non-profit Centre for Democracy and Technology (CDT) revealed that one in five students reported having had a romantic relationship with AI.

On Monday, California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill aimed at banning developers from offering AI chatbot companions to children without clear safeguards against harmful behaviour.

At the national level, the FTC has launched inquiries into AI chatbot interactions with children, while bipartisan legislation in the US Senate seeks to classify AI chatbots as products allowing user liability claims.

Mr. Altman's announcement comes amid skepticism over the rapid valuation growth of AI tech companies, highlighting the battle for market share as OpenAI continues to seek profitability.