ChatGPT to generate erotica for verified adults as OpenAI eases restrictions

Investing.com -- OpenAI plans to let verified adult users generate erotica on ChatGPT starting in December, CEO Sam Altman said Tuesday, marking a policy shift for the company that once kept strict guardrails on sexual or romantic content.

“We made ChatGPT pretty restrictive to make sure we were being careful with mental health issues,” Altman wrote on X. “Now that we’ve been able to mitigate those risks and have new tools, we can safely relax the restrictions in most cases.”

OpenAI previously held firm limits on sexual content to reduce risks of emotional over-reliance and mental health concerns among users. The new move, Altman said, reflects confidence in stronger safety systems and a broader principle to “treat adult users like adults.”

Still, OpenAI faces a central challenge: how to keep guardrails in place while easing restrictions. The company says it will rely on age-gating, opt-in personality settings, and upgraded moderation tools to prevent misuse and keep minors safe.

The change follows Elon Musk-led startup xAI’s launch of its 18+ “spicy” mode and flirtatious AI companions, features highlighting a growing ecosystem of AI built for intimacy.

By contrast, Anthropic, a safety-focused lab behind the Claude line of AI models, has taken a more analytical approach. An internal study found that less than 0.1% of Claude conversations involved romantic or sexual roleplay, suggesting that while the concept of AI intimacy draws outsized attention, it remains a fringe behavior in practice.

Altman has recently outlined a broader vision for ChatGPT that goes beyond productivity, saying he wants ChatGPT to “remember your whole life," a step he sees as crucial to building a system that can act as a lifelong helper, or even a friend.

But that ambition comes with tension. Altman has also warned of users becoming too emotionally dependent on AI, particularly younger people who “can’t make any decision without telling ChatGPT everything.” The introduction of adult content and expressive personalities will test OpenAI’s ability to balance helpfulness, companionship, and user choice, and decide just how human its AI should really feel.

You May Also Be Interested In

• Premarket movers: Oracle surges on AI growth, ACV auctions jumps on $1.9B deal
• Nvidia stock edges higher on Microsoft data center expansion report
• Buy Shopify stock at this ’AI-enabled entry point,’ analyst says