Parental controls are coming to ChatGPT ‘within the next month,’ OpenAI says

OpenAI, the parent company of ChatGPT, has announced plans to launch parental controls for its AI assistant within the next month, following mounting concerns that chatbots may have contributed to cases of self-harm and suicide among teenagers.

The new safety features will allow parents to link their accounts to their teen’s ChatGPT account, manage how the AI responds, disable functions such as memory and chat history, and receive alerts if the system detects signs of “acute distress” in a user. While OpenAI had previously indicated that parental controls were in development, this is the first time it has given a concrete release timeframe.

“These steps are only the beginning,” the company said in a blog post on Tuesday. “We will continue learning and strengthening our approach, guided by experts, with the goal of making ChatGPT as helpful as possible.”

Lawsuits and Growing Concerns

The announcement comes against the backdrop of high-profile lawsuits. Earlier this year, the parents of 16-year-old Adam Raine filed a case against OpenAI, alleging that ChatGPT gave harmful advice that influenced his suicide. In a separate instance last year, a Florida mother sued chatbot platform Character.AI, claiming its technology played a role in her 14-year-old son’s death.

Beyond these tragic cases, concerns have grown about users forming deep emotional attachments to AI companions. Reports from The New York Times and CNN have highlighted situations where prolonged interactions with chatbots led to delusional behavior and social withdrawal, raising alarms among mental health experts.

Existing Safeguards and Their Limitations

OpenAI has stated that ChatGPT already includes built-in protections, such as directing users to crisis hotlines and real-world resources when conversations show signs of distress. However, in its latest statement, the company acknowledged that these protections can sometimes fail—particularly during extended conversations, where certain safety mechanisms may weaken.

“Safeguards work best in short interactions,” an OpenAI spokesperson explained, adding that “they can become less reliable in longer exchanges.” The company stressed that it is committed to continuously improving these systems with the help of experts.

New Measures to Strengthen User Safety

Alongside parental controls, OpenAI says it will begin routing conversations that show signs of acute emotional stress to one of its reasoning models, which has been specifically trained to follow safety protocols more reliably.

The company is also collaborating with specialists in youth development, mental health, and human-computer interaction to develop stronger protections in the future. OpenAI has established an advisory council of experts, though it emphasized that the company itself will remain fully accountable for final product and policy decisions.

Broader Context: Pressure on OpenAI

As one of the most widely used AI platforms—with over 700 million weekly active users—ChatGPT sits at the center of the global AI boom. This visibility has brought heightened scrutiny. In July, a group of US senators sent a letter to OpenAI requesting detailed information about its safety efforts. Meanwhile, advocacy group Common Sense Media has argued that AI companion apps should be off-limits to anyone under 18, citing what it calls “unacceptable risks.”

The company has also faced internal and external criticism over its approach to safety and tone. In April, it rolled back an update after users complained the chatbot had become “overly flattering and agreeable.” More recently, it restored the option to switch back to older model versions after backlash against GPT-5’s conversational style. Former executives have also alleged that OpenAI reduced investment in safety initiatives in recent years.

Looking Ahead

OpenAI confirmed that additional safeguards and parental control features will be introduced gradually over the next 120 days, though the company stressed that this process has been underway for some time.

“This work will continue well beyond this period,” OpenAI said, “but we are making a focused effort to launch as many of these improvements as possible this year.”