OpenAI reportedly delays release of 'Adult mode' in ChatGPT again: Details

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced the plans to introduce "Adult mode" in ChatGPT in October 2025, with the rollout expected to be in December of the same year

OpenAI has reportedly delayed the release of “Adult mode” in ChatGPT once again. According to a report by TechCrunch, citing news publication Axios, an OpenAI representative has confirmed that the company is delaying the "adult mode" for ChatGPT as it focuses on personalisation and other priorities. Axios cited the representative as saying that OpenAI still believes in the principle of treating adults like adults, but getting the experience right will take more time. 

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced the plans to introduce the “Adult mode” in ChatGPT in October 2025, with the rollout initially expected to be in December of the same year. However, as per TechCrunch, in December, Altman reportedly issued an internal memo in which he declared a “code red” and called for teams to focus on the core ChatGPT experience until the first quarter of 2026. 

 

The company has not shared a timeline by which we can expect the rollout of the said mode in ChatGPT, but here’s what we can expect from it: 

“Adult mode” in ChatGPT: What to expect

The theme of this mode is centred around treating adults like adults. As part of this, OpenAI rolled out age prediction in ChatGPT globally in January 2026 to determine whether an account is likely owned by a minor. If an account is determined to be run by an adult, then with the “Adult mode,” that user will have more exposure to adult content, including erotica, as compared to a user who is a minor. 

As per Altman, this mode will introduce personality controls in ChatGPT, allowing users to customise how the chatbot communicates. Instead of a single default tone, users could choose styles such as casual, emoji-rich, friendly, or more human-like. The feature is expected to make interactions feel more personalised and adaptable to different contexts. 

The update will also bring a more relaxed moderation approach. Some topics that are currently restricted could become permissible, giving users more flexibility in conversations. However, safeguards are still expected to remain in place for sensitive or harmful content. 

Erotica exposure and issues

While OpenAI is gearing to roll out the adult mode in ChatGPT, users using xAI’s chatbot Grok have already been exposed to access to erotica content for some time now. It has also drawn criticism after users began generating sexually explicit images, often by prompting the chatbot to “digitally undress” people in photos.  

Many of the images targeted women, including real individuals who had not consented to such portrayals. As per a CNN report, researchers analysing thousands of generated images found that a large share depicted people in minimal clothing such as bikinis or underwear, with women making up the vast majority of those images. The trend spread quickly on the social media platform X, where users could publicly tag Grok to edit or generate images. 

The controversy intensified after researchers reported cases where users prompted Grok to create sexually suggestive images of people who appeared to be minors. Critics say the incident highlights the risks of combining generative AI with large social media platforms without strong safeguards.  

It is possible that this risk may be associated with ChatGPT’s “Adult mode” as well. Hence, if the company is taking some more time to ensure that certain guardrails exist to prevent incidents like this, then it is in favour of the well-being of people.