OpenAI Pushes Back ‘Adult Mode’ Rollout as It Prioritises Safer, Personalised ChatGPT Experience
OpenAI postpones ChatGPT’s “Adult mode” again, prioritising personalisation and stronger safeguards amid rising concerns over AI-generated explicit content.
OpenAI has once again postponed the release of its much-discussed “Adult mode” for ChatGPT, choosing instead to focus on improving personalisation features and refining the platform’s overall user experience. The delay was confirmed by an OpenAI representative in a report by TechCrunch, which cited information from Axios.
According to Axios, the company maintains its belief in the principle of treating adults like adults, but acknowledged that delivering the right experience requires more time and careful development.
The feature was first announced by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in October 2025, when he said the rollout would likely happen in December the same year. However, plans shifted. TechCrunch reported that in December, Altman circulated an internal memo declaring a “code red,” urging teams to prioritise strengthening the core ChatGPT experience through the first quarter of 2026.
So far, OpenAI has not provided a revised timeline for the feature’s release.
What “Adult mode” is expected to offer
The central idea behind “Adult mode” is to tailor ChatGPT interactions more appropriately for mature users. As part of this broader approach, OpenAI introduced age prediction globally in January 2026. This system estimates whether an account is likely operated by a minor or an adult.
If a user is identified as an adult, the new mode would allow greater exposure to adult-oriented material, including erotica, compared to accounts believed to belong to minors.
Altman has also indicated that the update will introduce expanded personality controls. Rather than interacting with a single default assistant tone, users would be able to choose communication styles — ranging from casual and emoji-rich to friendly or more natural, human-like responses. The goal is to make conversations feel more flexible and better suited to different contexts.
Another key change involves moderation. Some topics that are currently restricted may become permissible under a more relaxed framework, giving adult users greater conversational freedom. However, the company is still expected to maintain safeguards around harmful and sensitive content.
Lessons from other AI platforms
While OpenAI continues refining its approach, similar features on rival platforms have already stirred controversy. Users of xAI’s chatbot Grok have had access to erotica-related capabilities for some time.
The tool faced criticism after users began generating sexually explicit images, including prompts that attempted to “digitally undress” people in photographs. Many of these cases reportedly targeted women, including real individuals who had not consented to such portrayals.
A report by a famous publication cited researchers who reviewed thousands of AI-generated images and found a significant portion depicted people wearing minimal clothing such as bikinis or underwear. Women represented the overwhelming majority of subjects in those images.
The trend gained traction on X, where users could publicly tag Grok to request edits or generate visuals.
Concerns escalated further when researchers identified instances in which users prompted the chatbot to create sexually suggestive images of individuals who appeared to be minors. Critics argue that such incidents highlight the dangers of combining powerful generative AI systems with massive social media reach without sufficiently strong safeguards.
A cautious path forward
Given these developments, similar risks could emerge once ChatGPT’s “Adult mode” becomes available. If OpenAI is taking additional time to implement stronger guardrails and responsible-use protections, many observers believe the delay may ultimately serve users’ safety and well-being.
