OpenAI Will Allow Verified-Adult Erotica

OpenAI announced a policy change to allow erotic content for verified adults in a December update to ChatGPT, marking a shift from its prior bans on mature material. The move appears driven in part by monetization pressures and OpenAI’s push for “more freedom for adults.” Experts warn the change could normalize intimate, attachment-forming interactions with chatbots and raise privacy and emotional-dependence concerns. Microsoft's AI chief Mustafa Suleyman has publicly rejected building sexualized chatbots, signaling a philosophical split with OpenAI despite their partnership. Researchers and child-development specialists warn that teens are particularly vulnerable to treating AI as companionship and recommend parental guidance rather than outright bans.