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OpenAI, the maker of artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT, is rolling out an experience for teens that includes safety and learning features.<\/p>\n
The global introduction of \u201cChatGPT for Teens\u201d comes as OpenAI and other tech companies face lawsuits that allege AI chatbots are harming young people by providing information used to plan mass shootings and suicides.<\/p>\n
As students turn to chatbots for schoolwork, teachers and parents also worry that teens will use the tools to cheat or avoid practicing critical thinking skills.<\/p>\n
Suicide prevention and crisis counseling resources<\/p>\n
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, seek help from a professional or call 988. The nationwide three-digit mental health crisis hotline will connect callers with trained mental health counselors. Or text \u201cHOME\u201d to 741741 in the U.S. and Canada to reach the Crisis Text Line.<\/p>\n
OpenAI said ChatGPT users who state their age is between 13 and 17 will automatically be placed into the teen experience. The San Francisco AI company estimates other minors will also be added to ChatGPT for Teens.<\/p>\n
\u201cTeens should be able to use AI to learn, create, and explore. But that access should come with protections that reflect their developmental stage, reinforce real-world relationships, and support healthy use over time,\u201d OpenAI said in a blog post Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The learning features include quizzes, homework reminders, study mode and learning visualizations. Safety tools include reducing exposure to sensitive or potentially harmful content and limiting the amount of time teens spend on ChatGPT.<\/p>\n
Tech companies are under more scrutiny to make their platforms safer. Parents, some of whom have lost their children to suicide or accidental drug overdose, have sued companies for damages and urged politicians to pass new child safety laws.<\/p>\n
Meta, which has an AI assistant within a standalone app and across its platforms, including Instagram, is headed to trial Tuesday over allegations that its products harmed young people and that it misled the public about the dangers of social media. Meta-owned Instagram also has accounts with more restrictions for teens.<\/p>\n
Meta lost a social media addiction case in Los Angeles and another child safety case in New Mexico this year. A New Mexico court ordered Meta to pay $942 million and take steps to make the platform safer, including preventing minors from engaging in romantic or sexualized interactions with its AI chatbots.<\/p>\n
OpenAI has been grappling with legal hurdles too. Last year, the parents of a California teen who died by suicide sued OpenAI over allegations that ChatGPT provided information about ways to kill himself. OpenAI has said it directs people to suicide prevention resources and denied it caused the teen\u2019s death. The company also rolled out new parental controls.<\/p>\n
OpenAI is the latest tech company to face a lawsuit alleging chatbots are providing teens with self-harm content.<\/p>\n