OpenAI will not launch the intended adult mode for ChatGPT in the first quarter of 2026, as the company had originally planned. This delay was reported by a major tech outlet that cited informed sources close to the matter.
According to those insiders, the release was pushed back because OpenAI wants to refine the algorithms used to verify user age. The company is also choosing to prioritize other user-facing work, including improvements to the characteristics and overall quality of the underlying neural network.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman first announced plans to add an adult mode to ChatGPT in the autumn of 2025. He described the feature as aiming to make the model behave in ways that more closely resemble a real person.
With the postponement, the feature will not arrive in the previously stated timeframe; OpenAI appears to be taking additional time to ensure both reliable age checks and enhancements to the model itself before moving forward.