ChatGPT Adult Mode To Release In Early 2026, Everything You Need To Know

Today, OpenAI announced the ChatGPT 5.2 rollout, markings its very first model after the declaration of code red at the firm. And right after that, CEO of Applications OpenAI, Fidji Simo, told reporters

that OpenAI will be dropping the adult more for ChatGPT in the first quarter of 2026. The adult version of the mode was promised by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman previously in 2025. However, the launch of the model was shelved because of the complications related to the rising cases of mental health issues amongst the users due to ChatGPT usage. The adult mode of ChatGPT will be working on the basis of the age estimation feature. For those who don't know, your users of ChatGPT are age-gated and also have to work on the platform under parental controls. As reported by The Verge, OpenAI is still in the testing phase of the age verification feature of the model. The company is focusing on making the age verification system accurate to the point that it never misidentifies adults or teens before the official rollout.

Is The Audience Ready For ChatGPT Adult Mode?

ChatGPT has been in the news this year because of multiple lawsuits that alleged the bot validated thoughts of suicide and murder in people. Now, some cases involved teenagers, and a few of them involved adults as well. In an ecosystem where the people are not able to differentiate between the validation given by an AI bot and killing others, an adult bot can create a lot of menace.Also Read: Sam Altman's OpenAI Brings ChatGPT 5.2 To Compete With Google Gemini 3: Features, How To Use, And More One of the scariest parts about the same is the adoption of addictive behaviour. For example, let's say someone gets hooked with the bot, and now they are not just mentally able to accept that interactions can happen in the real world could be a major problem. All in all, it will be interesting to see the narrative that Sam Altman and OpenAI build at the time of adult mode roll out.