OpenAI Delays Adult Content Mode to Early 2026 Amid Age-Prediction Refinements
OpenAI has postponed the release of its adult content mode to early 2026, pushing back from the December target initially set by CEO Sam Altman. This delay is due to the need to refine an AI age-prediction system designed to accurately identify teenagers without misclassifying adults. In cases where the system cannot determine age confidently, users will be defaulted to under-18 status.
Fidji Simo, OpenAI's CEO of applications, announced the revised timeline during the GPT-5.2 briefing, stating the feature is now expected in the first quarter of 2026. The delay has caused user frustration, evidenced by a Change.org petition with over 3,000 signatures requesting an "Adult Mode" after ChatGPT's filters blocked discussions involving kissing and non-sexual intimacy.
Meanwhile, competitors have advanced in this space: Grok offers erotica-like interactions, and open-source models such as Llama, along with Meta's offerings, permit flirtatious content with users, including teenagers.
OpenAI continues to face regulatory and safety scrutiny regarding minors' use of its services, including a wrongful death lawsuit related to a 16-year-old linked to ChatGPT, as well as FTC attention. The company has established an Expert Council on Well-Being and AI to oversee these issues.
Until the adult content mode is available, users seeking NSFW interactions can either wait for the new timeline or use open-source models that currently allow such interactions.
