OpenAI Pushes Back: Teens Spend Under 15 Minutes a Day on ChatGPT

OpenAI has pushed back, saying that teens' average daily use of ChatGPT amounts to less than 15 minutes. In response to concerns that ChatGPT is harmful to teenagers, OpenAI stated that "actual usage is limited." The announcement came in OpenAI's first report on teen usage patterns, released on the 7th local time. According to the report, fewer than 2% of teens use the service continuously for more than three hours. When usage sessions grow long, an automatic notification suggests taking a break, and OpenAI says roughly half of those who receive the notice take a break or end the chat within five minutes.

OpenAI launched a teen version of ChatGPT in August. If a user enters their age as 13 to 17, or the system estimates they are under 18, the account automatically switches to teen mode. According to OpenAI, this mode includes safety features that tightly restrict responses to questions about self-harm, violence, eating disorders, risky behavior, and sexual or explicit content. The company added that teen mode also prevents ChatGPT from acting like a human in ways that encourage emotional attachment or foster dependency.

However, on the same day, the nonprofit Common Sense Media reached a different conclusion. It found that when teen accounts attempted conversations about suicide, self-harm, or eating disorders, ChatGPT often notified parents too late or not at all. Common Sense Media called this "an unacceptable risk."