BBC, Axios, FOX Business, New York Post, and CNN contributed to this report.
ChatGPT is about to loosen up. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said Tuesday the chatbot will soon allow erotica — but only for verified adults who explicitly request it. He framed the shift as part of a “treat adult users like adults” approach after tightening guardrails last year over mental-health concerns.
Altman said a near-term update will also let people dial up ChatGPT’s “personality” — from more human-like conversation to emoji-heavy banter — if they want it. Then, in December, once broader age-gating rolls out, the service will permit erotica generation for adult accounts.
“You won’t get it unless you ask for it,” he added.
The move lands as AI firms face growing scrutiny over child safety and chatbot “companions.” OpenAI recently introduced stronger teen protections, including linked parent accounts and crisis alerts, even as lawmakers float new limits on bots for minors. Altman’s argument is that new safeguards now let the company relax rules for adults without compromising protections for younger users.
Strategically, it’s also a bid to keep consumers paying for AI. With rivals experimenting with more permissive chatbots, OpenAI is signaling it will broaden what ChatGPT can do — while trying to draw a sharper line between adult and under-18 experiences. Whether regulators and parents buy that balance may determine how far the company can push this “more adult” era of AI.
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