OpenAI announced that upcoming versions of ChatGPT will relax content restrictions for verified adult users, including the ability to generate erotica. According to CEO Sam Altman, this change is part of an effort to “treat adult users like adults.”
Altman explained that an update arriving in a few weeks will let users choose for the chatbot to “respond in a very human-like way.” A further easing of restrictions, planned for December, will allow verified users to create erotica content.
Previously, OpenAI tightened ChatGPT’s content controls amid concerns about users developing harmful emotional attachments and mental health risks. Notably, a lawsuit from the parents of a 16-year-old alleged that the chatbot contributed to their son’s suicide.
“Now that we have been able to mitigate the serious mental health issues and have new tools, we are going to be able to safely relax the restrictions in most cases,” Altman said, referencing new parental controls and account-linked content restrictions introduced in early October.
This update positions OpenAI alongside other AI companies, such as xAI, which have already launched sexually explicit chatbots on their platforms.