Sam Altman: ChatGPT will get more friendly again, even erotically so
ChatGPT Is Growing Up: A More 'Adult' AI Is on the Way
The world of artificial intelligence is constantly evolving, and one of its brightest stars, ChatGPT, is about to undergo one of its most significant transformations yet. In a move that signals a major shift in philosophy, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has announced plans to make the AI chatbot "friendlier" and more flexible, but with a crucial new distinction: how it interacts with you will soon depend on your age. The company is preparing to introduce an age-verification system, or "age-gating," that will create two distinct experiences—one for minors and a much less restricted one for adults. This change comes in response to widespread user feedback and points toward a future where AI interaction is more personalized and mature.
What Prompted This Big Change? The Case of the Missing Personality
To understand why OpenAI is making such a dramatic change, we need to look back at recent user sentiment. Over the summer, an update often referred to as GPT-5 was rolled out, and the user response was far from positive. A wave of frustration and disappointment swept across online communities as users reported that ChatGPT had "lost its personality." The creative, witty, and sometimes quirky chatbot they had grown to love had seemingly been replaced by a more sterile, robotic, and overly cautious counterpart.
This change wasn't an accident. OpenAI had intentionally toned down the AI to make it less "sycophantic," or overly agreeable, in an effort to prevent potential mental health issues that can arise from users forming unhealthy attachments to AI companions. While the goal was safety, the result was an experience that many found bland and uninspiring. The spark was gone, and users weren't shy about voicing their displeasure.
In a post on the social media platform X, Sam Altman directly addressed these concerns. He acknowledged the user feedback and announced a two-part solution. First, a new version of ChatGPT is set to be released in the coming weeks that will "behave more like what people liked about [the previous version] 4o." This is a direct attempt to bring back the charm and character that users felt was missing. Second, and more radically, the company will implement age-gating to allow for a more nuanced approach to content moderation.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
A Tale of Two Experiences: How Age-Gating Will Work
The concept of "age-gating" is central to OpenAI's new strategy. Instead of a single, one-size-fits-all set of rules, ChatGPT will offer different experiences based on whether the user is a minor or a verified adult. This allows OpenAI to maintain a high level of safety for younger users while granting more freedom to adults.
For Younger Users: Safety First
For users identified as minors, the ChatGPT experience will likely remain very similar to the current, more restrictive version. Safety will be the paramount concern. OpenAI has already been building tools to support this, including the recent introduction of new parental controls that give guardians more oversight. The AI will continue to have strict guardrails to prevent exposure to inappropriate content, ensuring a safe and educational environment. Altman noted that he believes OpenAI has already "mitigated serious mental health issues" associated with AI use, and this protected experience for minors is a continuation of that commitment.
For Adults: A New Level of Freedom
The real revolution is what's planned for adult users. Starting in December, Altman announced that once a user's adult status is verified, the platform's tight restrictions around "erotic or sexually explicit conversations will be lifted." This is a groundbreaking shift for a mainstream AI service. The underlying philosophy, as Altman puts it, is to "treat adult users like adults."
However, a major question remains: how will OpenAI verify a user's age? The company has not yet detailed its method. Implementing a robust and private age-verification system is a significant technical and ethical challenge. Common methods include credit card verification, government-issued ID scans, or using third-party digital identity services. Each of these comes with its own set of privacy concerns and hurdles. Users will be watching closely to see how OpenAI navigates this complex issue to ensure their data remains secure while unlocking this new, more open experience.
From Safety Guardrails to Open Expression: A Major Policy Shift
This new direction marks a complete turnaround from OpenAI's previous public stance. Not long ago, in August, Sam Altman stated he was proud that the company "hasn’t put an AI sex bot into ChatGPT yet." The focus was squarely on creating a universally safe and helpful tool, steering clear of the controversial territory of adult-themed AI companionship, which other, less mainstream services had embraced.
The decision to now permit erotic content for adults reflects a maturation of OpenAI's approach. It's a recognition that adults may want to use this powerful technology for a wide range of purposes, including creative expression, personal exploration, and companionship that isn't strictly G-rated. By lifting these restrictions, OpenAI is acknowledging that a tool as versatile as ChatGPT can have different uses for different people, and that responsible adults should have the freedom to explore those uses.
This doesn't mean it will be a complete free-for-all. OpenAI will undoubtedly maintain strong filters against illegal and genuinely harmful content. The change is about redrawing the line between what is considered unsafe versus what is simply "adult." It’s a move from a model of censorship to one of user autonomy, empowering adults to define the boundaries of their own conversations with the AI.
Mixed Reactions: How the World is Responding
As with any major tech announcement, Sam Altman's post was met with a spectrum of reactions, ranging from excitement and relief to skepticism and criticism.
Many users expressed frustration and suspicion about the promise of a new version that will merely "behave like 4o." Their question is simple: if you know what we liked, why not just bring back the old model? This has led to speculation that the underlying "safer" model will remain, with a new "personality layer" added on top. Whether this will be enough to recapture the magic of the earlier version remains to be seen.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
Others were quick to mock the CEO for what they saw as him completely reversing his earlier position on adult content. The pivot from proudly avoiding an "AI sex bot" to openly allowing erotic conversations struck some as a sign that the company is more reactive to market pressures and user complaints than guided by a consistent, long-term vision.
Then there were those who pointed out the delightful irony of the situation. Altman recently made headlines by predicting that AI like ChatGPT could one day help "cure cancer." The juxtaposition of this profoundly ambitious goal with the new policy allowing erotic chat highlights the strange and wonderful duality of advanced technology. It is a tool that can be used for humanity's grandest challenges as well as its most personal and intimate desires.
Mashable's request for an official comment from OpenAI on these upcoming changes did not receive a response before this story was published.
The Road Ahead: A More Mature Future for AI
OpenAI's planned updates for ChatGPT represent more than just a new feature; they signal a new chapter in human-AI interaction. The company is moving away from a single, heavily sanitized experience and toward a more personalized, flexible, and mature platform. By trusting adults to manage their own conversations, OpenAI is not only responding to user demand but also setting a new precedent for the mainstream AI industry.
The coming months will be critical. The release of the "friendlier" new version will show whether OpenAI can truly recapture the personality users miss. Furthermore, the successful and secure implementation of age verification will be key to making this new, two-tiered system work. If done right, this could be the model for how powerful AI tools balance safety with freedom, ushering in an era where our digital companions can finally grow up with us.
Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.
from Mashable
-via DynaSage
