OpenAI Set to Ease ChatGPT Rules for Adult Users

OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, has announced that ChatGPT will soon undergo a major change one that will give verified adult users more freedom in how they use the AI chatbot.

Altman revealed that the company is preparing to relax long-standing content restrictions, allowing adult users to generate previously restricted material, including erotica. He said the decision aligns with a new principle: “treat adult users like adults.”

The update will roll out in two stages. The first, expected in the coming weeks, will let users make ChatGPT respond in a more natural, human-like manner. This includes features that allow users to personalize the chatbot’s tone, for instance, making it talk like a friend or even include emojis.

A bigger update is expected by December, introducing age verification tools that will let adult users access mature content safely.

Altman explained that earlier restrictions were necessary to protect users from potential mental health risks. “We made ChatGPT pretty restrictive to make sure we were being careful with mental health issues,” he said, admitting that this made the bot “less useful and enjoyable” for many others.

The company initially enforced tighter controls after concerns grew over people developing emotional attachments to AI systems. The issue gained serious attention following a lawsuit by parents of a 16-year-old who died by suicide, alleging ChatGPT’s role in the incident.

Altman, however, assured users that OpenAI has developed new safeguards to handle such risks. These include parental controls and advanced age-detection systems designed to ensure responsible use.

With this shift, OpenAI is taking a bold step into territory already explored by Elon Musk’s xAI, whose Grok chatbot allows explicit adult interactions.

While opinions may differ, one thing is clear OpenAI is preparing to make ChatGPT more personal, more flexible, and, for adult users, a lot more open.