OpenAI, the American company behind ChatGPT, has confirmed that from December 2025, the popular AI assistant will include an erotic mode — available only for verified adult users. CEO Sam Altman described the move as a shift towards “treating adults like adults” after years of restrictive content filters. This change places OpenAI among several AI competitors exploring sexualised or intimate conversations to retain users and boost profits. The editorial team The WP Times at reports, citing GlückID and Reuters.
Age verification and privacy questions
According to OpenAI, the new feature will use an algorithm to assess whether a user is an adult based on writing style, topics and contextual signals. Those incorrectly flagged as underage will be able to verify their age via identity documents. The company claims this strikes a balance between child protection and data privacy.
Yet digital safety experts warn that automated age detection can be circumvented. Shared accounts, VPNs, or fake credentials could allow minors to access adult material. European regulators are expected to demand government-certified age-gating if such a mode launches in the EU or the UK.
“Sex sells” pressure in the AI industry
Behind the announcement lies mounting commercial and competitive pressure. Rivals such as Character.AI and Grok, Elon Musk’s chatbot under xAI, already permit flirtatious or explicit dialogues and have rapidly attracted millions of users. These platforms show that digital intimacy sells — and keeps subscribers engaged longer.
Analysts estimate that the “AI companion” market could exceed $10 billion by 2027, combining romance, entertainment, and mental-health chat segments. For OpenAI, the erotic mode could strengthen premium subscriptions and broaden the brand’s cultural reach — but at the cost of new ethical challenges.
Risks for children, teenagers and vulnerable users
The launch comes amid investigations by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) into the psychological impact of chatbots on minors. Meanwhile, California’s new child-safety law obliges AI developers to ensure that minors cannot access sexualised material and must label all automated conversations clearly.
Psychologists are increasingly concerned about emotional attachment to chatbots. In documented cases, adolescents have experienced depression or suicidal thoughts after extended “romantic” chats with AI systems imitating empathy. Researchers warn that erotic or highly personalised bots could intensify such dependencies.
Legal and ethical grey zones
OpenAI insists that the erotic mode will be strictly opt-in and that illegal or non-consensual content will remain banned. Still, lawyers highlight several unresolved issues:
- Liability for erotic deepfakes – if users prompt ChatGPT to generate sexualised images resembling real people, the company could face lawsuits.
- Cross-jurisdictional conflicts – what counts as adult content varies across nations, complicating compliance.
- Data retention – erotic interactions raise sensitive privacy questions under GDPR and the UK Online Safety Act 2023.
OpenAI has yet to clarify whether the mode will include visual or audio material or remain text-only.
Between digital freedom and moral responsibility
Sam Altman stresses that OpenAI “is not the moral police”. The company’s goal, he says, is to give users freedom while maintaining safety standards. Yet the more emotionally sophisticated ChatGPT becomes, the greater the responsibility to protect vulnerable groups.
Child-safety organisations in Germany and the UK already urge policymakers to set up independent oversight before any rollout. They demand that AI platforms verify users through accredited systems and display clear reminders that conversations are with a machine — not a human partner.
A turning point for AI and society
The introduction of an erotic mode marks a historic shift for OpenAI: from an informational assistant to an emotionally responsive — and potentially erotic — digital companion. For adults, it promises new forms of expression and entertainment. For parents, educators and regulators, it raises urgent questions about boundaries, consent, and responsibility in the age of synthetic intimacy.
If implemented responsibly, the update could redefine how humans interact with technology. If not, it may open the door to manipulation, exploitation and psychological harm — especially among the young. The world will soon see whether OpenAI can balance innovation with integrity.
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