OpenAI announces ChatGPT ‘Adult’ mode for users with…, to support erotica and spicy chats – Here’s when it goes live and what to expect

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced that ChatGPT will soon allow adult content for verified adult users, starting in December. The new policy will apply only to users who confirm their age on the platform. Altman said the change is part of OpenAI’s effort to “treat adult users like adults.” Once the age-verification system is fully in place, adults will be able to access mature material, including erotica, while such content will remain blocked for teenagers and younger users.

He explained that OpenAI had earlier made ChatGPT “very restrictive” to avoid potential harm to people dealing with mental health issues. However, this made the chatbot less enjoyable for users who did not have such concerns.

We made ChatGPT pretty restrictive to make sure we were being careful with mental health issues. We realize this made it less useful/enjoyable to many users who had no mental health problems, but given the seriousness of the issue we wanted to get this right.

Now that we have…

— Sam Altman (@sama) October 14, 2025

In August, OpenAI faced a lawsuit that accused the company of contributing to a teenager’s suicide, leading to more scrutiny over how ChatGPT handles sensitive conversations. Altman said that since then, OpenAI has created new safety tools to reduce risks and can now safely loosen content filters.

Altman also revealed that a new version of ChatGPT will launch in the next few weeks, giving users more control over how the AI behaves. People will be able to customize ChatGPT’s tone, style, and personality: for example, making it sound more friendly, more expressive, or more human-like.

“If you want your ChatGPT to talk like a friend or use lots of emojis, it will do that — but only if you choose to,” Altman said, adding that the company is focused on user choice rather than maximizing usage.

Criticism and Political Reaction

The announcement has sparked mixed reactions, with some raising ethical concerns about OpenAI’s decision.

US Republican leader Vivek Ramaswamy strongly criticised the move, calling it a “troubling over-humanization” of artificial intelligence. He argued that allowing AI to act in overly human-like or intimate ways could worsen addiction and loneliness, rather than help people become more productive or fulfilled.

“This new ‘feature’ will do nothing to improve productivity or prosperity,” Ramaswamy said. “But it will almost certainly increase addiction and loneliness. I don’t think government action will fix it, but giving AI the power to emotionally or sexually manipulate humans demands serious caution.”