Why Teens Deserve Access to Safe AI
OpenAI, Thursday, July 16th, 2026
OpenAI makes the case for teen access to AI paired with age-specific safeguards including age prediction and break reminders.
OpenAI published its position that teens should have access to AI, arguing that withholding it until adulthood would leave a generation less prepared for a defining technology, much like barring an earlier generation from the internet or search engines.
The company cites that nearly nine in ten teens on ChatGPT use it for learning, information, skill-building or productivity within a single week. OpenAI stresses access must be paired with protections built specifically for teens, governed by its U18 Principles covering ages 13 to 17.
Safeguards include age prediction that automatically applies a more age-appropriate experience when a user is estimated to be under 18, defaulting to the safer teen experience when uncertain, plus break reminders during long sessions.