Common Sense Media Calls OpenAI's ChatGPT for Teens an 'Unacceptable Risk'

Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization known for reviewing apps, streaming services and entertainment with an emphasis on youth safety, has said that OpenAI's ChatGPT for Teens poses an "unacceptable risk" to young users.

A product built with guardrails

ChatGPT for Teens was introduced by OpenAI in August as a version of the popular chatbot designed specifically for teenage users. The product includes guardrails intended to make it safer for minors and is positioned as a tool to help students with learning.

Despite these safeguards, Common Sense Media's assessment concludes that the protections built into the teen-focused product do not go far enough to mitigate the risks the organization associates with AI chatbot use among young people.

Part of a broader debate

The nonprofit's review adds to an ongoing debate over how artificial intelligence products designed for or marketed to teenagers should be evaluated, and what level of safeguards is sufficient before such tools are considered safe for widespread use by minors.

OpenAI has not been described as responding directly to this specific assessment, but the company's decision to build a dedicated teen version of ChatGPT with guardrails reflects an acknowledgment within the industry that chatbot products carry distinct considerations when used by younger audiences. Common Sense Media's conclusion suggests that, in its view, those considerations have not yet been adequately addressed.