ChatGPT is using age prediction to restrict what minors see | The VergeSkip to main contentThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.The VergeThe Verge logo.TechReviewsScienceEntertainmentAICESHamburger Navigation ButtonThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.Hamburger Navigation ButtonNavigation DrawerThe VergeThe Verge logo.Login / Sign UpcloseCloseSearchTechExpandAmazonAppleFacebookGoogleMicrosoftSamsungBusinessSee all techGadgetsExpandLaptopsPhonesTVsHeadphonesSpeakersWearablesSee all gadgetsReviewsExpandSmart Home ReviewsPhone ReviewsTablet ReviewsHeadphone ReviewsSee all reviewsAIExpandOpenAIAnthropicSee all AIVerge ShoppingExpandBuying GuidesDealsGift GuidesSee all shoppingPolicyExpandAntitrustPoliticsLawSecuritySee all policyScienceExpandSpaceEnergyEnvironmentHealthSee all scienceEntertainmentExpandTV ShowsMoviesAudioSee all entertainmentGamingExpandXboxPlayStationNintendoSee all gamingStreamingExpandDisneyHBONetflixYouTubeCreatorsSee all streamingTransportationExpandElectric CarsAutonomous CarsRide-sharingScootersSee all transportationFeaturesVerge VideoExpandTikTokYouTubeInstagramPodcastsExpandDecoderThe VergecastVersion HistoryNewslettersExpandThe Verge DailyInstallerVerge DealsNotepadOptimizerRegulatorThe StepbackArchivesStoreSubscribeFacebookThreadsInstagramYoutubeRSSThe VergeThe Verge logo.ChatGPT is using age prediction to restrict what minors seeComments DrawerCommentsLoading commentsGetting the conversation ready...NewsCloseNewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NewsAICloseAIPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All AITechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechChatGPT is using age prediction to restrict what minors seeNew safeguards for underage users aim to reduce exposure to sensitive content.New safeguards for underage users aim to reduce exposure to sensitive content.by Jess WeatherbedCloseJess WeatherbedNews ReporterPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Jess WeatherbedJan 21, 2026, 10:23 AM UTCLinkShareGiftAge prediction is rolling out almost globally, with users in the EU getting it ‘in the coming weeks.’ Image: The VergeJess WeatherbedCloseJess WeatherbedPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Jess Weatherbed is a news writer focused on creative industries, computing, and internet culture. Jess started her career at TechRadar, covering news and hardware reviews.OpenAI has added age prediction features to ChatGPT, meant to identify and bolster protections for underage users. These age detection plans were announced in December alongside updated guidelines for interacting with teens and follow a rise in similar age-gating efforts from online platforms, including Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Roblox.ChatGPT’s age prediction model works by examining behavioral and account-level signals, including a user’s stated age, how old the account is, when the user is active, and usage patterns over time. Additional protections will then be applied to persons that ChatGPT estimates are under the age of 18, restricting exposure to sensitive content, such as:Graphic violence or gory contentViral challenges that could encourage risky or harmful behavior in minorsSexual, romantic, or violent roleplayDepictions of self-harmContent that promotes extreme beauty standards, unhealthy dieting, or body-shamingAdult users who are incorrectly placed in the under-18 experience can restore their unrestricted access by verifying their age with a selfie. Age prediction is rolling out globally, except in the EU, where OpenAI says it will “roll out in the coming weeks to account for regional requirements.”These age prediction features and additional safeguards come after ChatGPT was the focus of a teen suicide lawsuit and a Senate panel discussing chatbots’ potential harm to minors.Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Jess WeatherbedCloseJess WeatherbedNews ReporterPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Jess WeatherbedAICloseAIPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All AINewsCloseNewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NewsOpenAICloseOpenAIPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All OpenAITechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechMost PopularMost PopularSony’s TV business is being taken over by TCLHow much can a city take?How BYD beat TeslaNetflix revises Warner Bros. bid to an all-cash offerSamsung’s discounted microSD Express card more than doubles your Switch 2 storageThe Verge DailyA free daily digest of the news that matters most.Email (required)Sign UpBy submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.Advertiser Content FromThis is the title for the native adMore in NewsNetflix earned $1.5 billion from ads in 2025Trump admin admits DOGE employees had access to off-limits Social Security dataNetflix will revamp its mobile UI this yearFTC says it will appeal Meta antitrust lossNova Launcher’s new owner might offer a version with adsLife is Strange will bring the Max and Chloe story to an end in new gameNetflix earned $1.5 billion from ads in 2025Emma RothJan 20Trump admin admits DOGE employees had access to off-limits Social Security dataLauren FeinerJan 20Netflix will revamp its mobile UI this yearJay PetersJan 20FTC says it will appeal Meta antitrust lossLauren FeinerJan 20Nova Launcher’s new owner might offer a version with adsJay PetersJan 20Life is Strange will bring the Max and Chloe story to an end in new gameAndrew WebsterJan 20Advertiser Content FromThis is the title for the native adTop StoriesAn hour agoBurritos from Heaven: Are drones the future of delivery?An hour agoWhat a Sony and TCL partnership means for the future of TVs3:33 AM UTCOne year in, Big Tech has out-maneuvered MAGA populistsJan 20How BYD beat TeslaJan 18Under Musk, the Grok disaster was inevitableJan 19It’s worse than it looks in MinneapolisThe VergeThe Verge logo.FacebookThreadsInstagramYoutubeRSSContactTip UsCommunity GuidelinesArchivesAboutEthics StatementHow We Rate and Review ProductsCookie SettingsTerms of UsePrivacy NoticeCookie PolicyLicensing FAQAccessibilityPlatform Status© 2026 Vox Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved

OpenAI has implemented age prediction features within ChatGPT, a development coinciding with similar efforts by other online platforms like Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Roblox. This initiative centers around bolstering protections for underage users. The core of ChatGPT’s age prediction model relies on an analysis of behavioral and account-level signals. These signals encompass a user’s stated age, the account’s age history, patterns of activity, and temporal usage data. This data aggregation facilitates an estimation of a user’s age, which then triggers the application of targeted safety measures for individuals identified as being under 18 years of age. Specifically, these safeguards are designed to restrict exposure to content deemed sensitive, including graphic depictions of violence or gore, viral challenges potentially promoting risky behaviors among minors, sexually suggestive, romantic, or violent role-playing scenarios, representations of self-harm, and material emphasizing unhealthy beauty standards, dangerous dieting practices, or body shaming. Adult users who are incorrectly classified as being under 18 can rectify the situation by verifying their age through a selfie. The rollout of this age prediction functionality is occurring globally, with a phased implementation planned for the European Union, slated to begin “in the coming weeks” to align with EU-specific regulatory requirements. This move follows heightened scrutiny of ChatGPT, particularly in the wake of a teen suicide lawsuit and a Senate panel’s inquiry into the potential harms associated with chatbots for minors. The implementation of these safeguards represents a proactive response to emerging concerns regarding the responsible utilization of advanced AI technologies and underscores a broader trend toward enhanced safety protocols across online platforms.