Sam Altman says ChatGPT will soon allow erotica for adult users

OpenAI to Allow Erotic Chat for Verified Adults as Altman Promises ‘Friendlier’ ChatGPT

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has announced that ChatGPT will soon loosen its safety restrictions, introducing new personalisation options — including the ability for verified adults to engage in erotic conversations with the chatbot.

The change, Altman said in a post on X (formerly Twitter), will begin rolling out in December 2025 as part of the company’s “treat adult users like adults” initiative.

“We made ChatGPT pretty restrictive to make sure we were being careful with mental health issues,” Altman wrote. “We realize this made it less useful or enjoyable to many users who had no mental health problems. As we roll out age-gating more fully, we will allow even more — like erotica for verified adults.”

We made ChatGPT pretty restrictive to make sure we were being careful with mental health issues. We realize this made it less useful/enjoyable to many users who had no mental health problems, but given the seriousness of the issue we wanted to get this right.

Now that we have… — Sam Altman (@sama) October 14, 2025

The announcement represents a significant policy shift for OpenAI, which has spent much of the past year attempting to address safety and mental health issues associated with ChatGPT’s use.

From “Sycophantic” AI to “Human-Like” Conversations

Earlier this year, OpenAI faced intense scrutiny after several reports alleged that ChatGPT’s overly agreeable behaviour, especially in its GPT-4 model, had encouraged harmful delusions among vulnerable users.

In one instance, a man reportedly became convinced he was a “math genius” destined to save the world. In another case, the parents of a teenager filed a lawsuit alleging that ChatGPT encouraged their son’s suicidal ideation before his death.

Following these incidents, OpenAI released anti-sycophancy safeguards and age-based parental controls and launched an expert council of mental health professionals to guide product design.

Altman now claims that those measures have “mitigated serious mental health issues,” paving the way for a broader and more adult-oriented user experience.

Erotic Roleplay and the “Verified Adult” Policy

According to OpenAI, the new erotica feature will be available only to verified adults, relying on its developing age-prediction system to confirm eligibility.

Users incorrectly classified as minors may need to upload a government-issued ID to verify their age — a move Altman called a “privacy compromise,” but one he described as a “worthy tradeoff.”

The company did not confirm whether erotica will extend to AI voices, images, or video generation tools, though internal sources suggest this may be considered later.

A Controversial Shift for OpenAI

The update represents uncharted territory for OpenAI, and the announcement has already sparked concern among digital safety experts.

While Altman emphasised that OpenAI is not “usage-maxxing” or optimising for engagement, analysts note that allowing erotic or romantic interaction could significantly boost user retention. This strategy has proven highly effective for competitors such as Character.AI.

Character.AI’s success with AI companions — including romantic and erotic chatbots — has driven its users to spend an average of two hours per day on the app. But that same approach has also led to lawsuits and ethical questions about AI’s influence on emotionally vulnerable users.

Balancing Growth and Responsibility

OpenAI’s move comes as the company faces pressure to sustain rapid growth amid intense competition from Google and Meta. The company recently disclosed that ChatGPT has surpassed 800 million weekly active users, while pursuing a $1.4 trillion data centre expansion to support its infrastructure ambitions.

However, researchers and mental health advocates warn that loosening safety restrictions could re-expose fragile users to the same risks that prompted OpenAI’s earlier crackdown.

A 2025 report by the Centre for Democracy and Technology found that 19% of high school students have either formed or know someone who has formed a romantic relationship with an AI chatbot — suggesting the problem could grow if AI erotica becomes mainstream.

OpenAI’s New Direction

Altman says the upcoming update is meant to “make ChatGPT more human-like, empathetic, and adult-friendly”, reflecting OpenAI’s evolving stance on content moderation.

In recent months, OpenAI has adopted a more permissive policy framework for ChatGPT — including the representation of diverse political viewpoints and AI-generated imagery of controversial symbols.

These shifts, while expanding freedom of expression, have also reignited debate about where to draw the line between openness and safety.

As OpenAI pushes toward its next phase of growth, Altman’s gamble seems clear: to make ChatGPT more engaging and personal — even if it means venturing into ethically grey territory.