Any user whose account indicates they are under 18, or whom OpenAI's age-estimation system identifies as a likely minor, will be moved into the teen experience without any action required on their part, the company said. OpenAI uses roughly 2,000 signals — including chat content and times of day — to estimate user ages, according to The Wall Street Journal. Users who are incorrectly flagged as minors can appeal and verify their age.

The new experience is built around learning support. A "Study Mode" feature guides students through problems using questions and step-by-step scaffolding rather than providing direct answers. "Responsible homework reminders" will redirect teens who appear to be attempting shortcuts back into Study Mode. Parents or teens can also set "Study Hours," a window during which Study Mode is on by default. A quiz feature gives teens additional ways to test their understanding of material.

The default protections in ChatGPT for Teens restrict content related to self-harm, eating disorders, violence, and romantic or sexual interactions. The chatbot's updated model guidelines also prohibit it from using romantic language, encouraging emotional dependence, or implying it has feelings or consciousness, the company said.

Parents who connect their accounts to their teen's gain the ability to establish "Quiet Hours" that block access to ChatGPT during designated times, along with alerts triggered by certain high-risk scenarios. OpenAI said it is adding notifications related to eating disorders in the coming weeks. Teens can disconnect linked accounts, and parents are notified if that happens.

The rollout also brings periodic prompts encouraging teens to take a break after spending 90 minutes on the platform within any three-hour period, as well as alerts urging them to reconsider before sharing personal or sensitive images.

"We want to treat teens like teens, which means that we have to make sure that we're showing up with the right developmental stage when we're not either talking down to them or treating them like kids, but we're also making sure that they're not exposed to material that they shouldn't be exposed to," Ann O'Leary, OpenAI's vice president of global policy, told the Associated Press.

The launch comes as OpenAI faces multiple lawsuits from families who allege that ChatGPT contributed to the deaths or injuries of young people, according to CNN. Those cases include a suit from seven families connected to a school shooting in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, and a lawsuit filed by the state of Florida in June. OpenAI has pushed back on these allegations.

OpenAI also announced a partnership with CodeAI focused on helping students and educators understand how AI works and how to use it, the company said.