Why teens deserve access to safe AI

OpenAI on July 16, 2026 announced its position that teens deserve access to safe AI and shared the safeguards, policies, and experts guiding its approach to teen use. OpenAI said teens are the first generation growing up with AI and nearly 9 in 10 teens on ChatGPT use it for learning, information, skill-building, or productivity in a single week. The company said access must be paired with protections designed for teens, including automated guardrails and age-appropriate safeguards. OpenAI said over the past year it strengthened default protections for teens, rolled out age prediction, expanded parental controls, created family resources, and introduced learning features. The company said it built Study Mode with teachers and learning scientists to encourage active engagement, and parents with linked teen accounts can turn it on from parental controls. OpenAI said if its system estimates a user is under 18 it provides a more age-appropriate experience with stronger safeguards around graphic violence, self-harm, and other content. The company said teens receive break reminders and parents can set quiet hours and receive notifications in high-risk situations. OpenAI said it consulted experts including Moonshot and published educational resources in more than 50 languages.