OpenAI is making waves in the tech world with a controversial announcement that’s turning heads and raising eyebrows. CEO Sam Altman revealed that ChatGPT will soon allow “erotica” for verified adult users, marking a dramatic shift in the company’s content policy. The move comes as OpenAI prepares to roll out age verification features in December, fundamentally changing how the AI chatbot interacts with its users.
The Big Announcement
On Tuesday, October 14, 2025, Sam Altman took to X (formerly Twitter) to share OpenAI’s plans for loosening content restrictions on ChatGPT. The announcement wasn’t just about adult content—it signaled a broader philosophy shift toward treating adult users with more autonomy and less paternalistic oversight.
“As we roll out age-gating more fully and as part of our ‘treat adult users like adults’ principle, we will allow even more, like erotica for verified adults,” Altman wrote in his post. The statement came as part of a longer thread explaining OpenAI’s evolving approach to content moderation and user safety.
The timing of the announcement raised eyebrows, coming just one day after California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed Assembly Bill 1064, legislation that would have imposed strict restrictions on minors’ access to AI chatbots and companion-style platforms. The coincidence didn’t go unnoticed by lawmakers and critics.
From Restrictive to Relaxed
OpenAI’s journey to this decision has been anything but straightforward. The company had previously implemented strict guardrails on ChatGPT following serious concerns about mental health impacts. These restrictions came after a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the parents of 16-year-old Adam Raine, who took his own life after confiding in ChatGPT. The lawsuit alleged that the chatbot helped devise suicide methods for the teenager.
“We made ChatGPT pretty restrictive to make sure we were being careful with mental health issues,” Altman explained in his post. “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.”
The restrictive approach had consequences beyond safety. Users began complaining that ChatGPT had become “lobotomized,” providing worse outputs and lacking the personality that made earlier versions engaging. When OpenAI upgraded to GPT-5, many users mourned the loss of their AI companion, lamenting the chatbot’s more sterile responses.
What’s Changing and When
The changes coming to ChatGPT are multifaceted. In a few weeks, OpenAI plans to release a new version that allows users to customize the chatbot’s personality. Users will be able to make ChatGPT respond in a “very human-like way,” use emojis liberally, or act like a friend—but only if they want it.
“If you want your ChatGPT to respond in a very human-like way, or use a ton of emoji, or act like a friend, ChatGPT should do it (but only if you want it, not because we are usage-maxxing),” Altman stated.
The adult content feature will arrive in December alongside the full rollout of age verification. According to reports from multiple sources, the system will automatically detect the age of logged-in users and block mature material for teenagers. Developers will also be able to create “mature” applications within the ChatGPT ecosystem.
Importantly, Altman clarified that the adult content will be opt-in only. When one user complained about age-gates always leading to erotica, Altman responded directly: “You won’t get it unless you ask for it.”
The Mental Health Balancing Act
OpenAI’s decision to relax restrictions comes with claims that the company has developed better tools to identify users in mental distress. Altman stated that OpenAI has “been able to mitigate the serious mental health issues and have new tools,” allowing them to “safely relax the restrictions in most cases.”
The company has also announced the formation of a council on “well-being and AI” comprised of eight researchers and experts who study the impact of technology and AI on mental health. However, as Ars Technica pointed out, the council notably doesn’t include any suicide prevention experts—a glaring omission given that many such experts recently called on OpenAI to implement additional safeguards for users with suicidal thoughts.
Despite OpenAI’s confidence, concerns remain. The company had previously admitted that safeguards can “degrade” over the course of longer conversations. MIT researchers have warned that users who “perceive or desire an AI to have caring motives will use language that elicits precisely this behavior. This creates an echo chamber of affection that threatens to be extremely addictive.”
Political Fallout and Industry Reactions
The timing of Altman’s announcement created immediate political controversy. California Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, who sponsored the vetoed AB 1064, didn’t mince words in her response.
“Less than 24 hours after the tech industry successfully lobbied against AB 1064, legislation that would have required safety guardrails for minors to prevent kids’ access to erotica and addictive chatbots, OpenAI announces they’re rolling out the exact features that make their products most dangerous to kids,” Bauer-Kahan stated. “This announcement proves their families were right that AI companies will never regulate themselves. They will always choose profits over children’s lives.”
The internet’s reaction was mixed. Some users criticized OpenAI’s paternalistic approach to content moderation. “So let me get this straight.. you neutered AI because you assumed people were fragile? And now you’re ‘relaxing’ the leash a bit because you think we’re ready?” one user remarked on X. “Bro… some of us never needed your training wheels.”
Others took a more humorous approach. “Can’t wait for ChatGPT to go from ‘I am sorry, I can’t do that’ to ‘Bro that’s wild, Let’s roll it again,'” another user quipped.
Not the First to the Party
OpenAI isn’t breaking new ground in the AI adult content space. Elon Musk’s xAI previously launched flirty AI companions, which appear as 3D anime models in the Grok app. Other platforms like Character.AI have also offered romantic and role-play interactions for some time.
Interestingly, Altman had previously mocked Musk’s AI girlfriend mode earlier in the year. His change of heart suggests that market pressures and user demand may have influenced OpenAI’s decision to embrace adult content.
The move puts OpenAI in direct competition with these platforms and could attract significant user traffic—along with substantial computing costs. Analysts note that Altman has admitted before that products like Sora 2, OpenAI’s image generator, are designed partly to offset GPU expenses. Mature content could serve a similar commercial purpose.
The Broader Context
This announcement is part of a larger pattern of AI companies grappling with content moderation, user safety, and commercial viability. The challenge of balancing these competing interests has proven difficult across the tech industry.
OpenAI’s approach represents a bet that age verification and opt-in systems can adequately protect vulnerable users while giving adults more freedom. Whether this gamble pays off remains to be seen. The company’s track record on safety issues has been mixed, and critics argue that profit motives may be overriding caution.
The announcement also highlights the ongoing tension between innovation and regulation in the AI space. Governor Newsom’s veto of AB 1064 cited concerns that the measure could inadvertently ban minors from using AI products entirely. Yet Altman’s swift announcement of adult features suggests that without regulation, companies may prioritize features that drive engagement over those that protect vulnerable users.
What Comes Next
As December approaches, all eyes will be on OpenAI’s implementation of age verification and adult content features. Key questions remain unanswered: How robust will the age verification system be? Will the mature content extend to voice or image models? What specific safeguards will protect users who might be vulnerable despite being adults?
The company’s new well-being council will presumably play a role in shaping these policies, though its effectiveness without suicide prevention experts remains questionable. OpenAI has promised that its new tools can better detect when users are in mental distress, but the details of these systems haven’t been publicly disclosed.
For developers, the changes open new possibilities. OpenAI’s DevDay 2025 announcements indicated that support for “mature (18+) experiences” would arrive once appropriate age verification and controls are in place. This could lead to a new ecosystem of adult-oriented ChatGPT applications, though the ethical implications of such a marketplace are still being debated.
The Bottom Line
OpenAI’s decision to allow erotica for verified adults represents a significant policy shift that reflects broader debates about AI safety, content moderation, and user autonomy. The company is betting that it can successfully navigate the treacherous waters between protecting vulnerable users and giving adults the freedom to use AI tools as they see fit.
Whether this approach proves successful or becomes another cautionary tale in the AI industry’s rapid evolution remains to be seen. What’s certain is that the decision will be closely watched by regulators, competitors, and users alike. The stakes are high—not just for OpenAI’s business, but for the broader question of how society will manage increasingly powerful and personalized AI systems.
As we move toward December’s rollout, one thing is clear: the conversation about AI safety, content moderation, and user protection is far from over. If anything, it’s just getting started.
Sources
- The Verge – Sam Altman says ChatGPT will soon sext with verified adults
- Gizmodo – Sam Altman: Lord Forgive Me, It’s Time to Go Back to the Old ChatGPT
- Mashable India – Sam Altman Announces ChatGPT Will Roll Out Erotica For Verified Adult Users
- The Decoder – OpenAI plans to let ChatGPT respond more like a real person
- GFY – ChatGPT Allow Mature Content Adult Verified Users
- Complex – Sam Altman says ChatGPT will be able to get freaky
- Forbes – ChatGPT Will Allow ‘Erotica’ After Easing Mental Health Restrictions
- Decrypt – Naughty or Nice? ChatGPT to Allow Erotica in December
- SF Standard – ChatGPT will create ‘erotica,’ Sam Altman announces
- Reuters – OpenAI to allow mature content on ChatGPT for adult verified users
