OpenAI to Introduce Adult-Only Erotica Mode on ChatGPT – and the Internet Has Thoughts

by Zaghrah Anthony

AI Grows Up: ChatGPT to Offer Erotica for Verified Adults

Conversations with AI are about to get a lot more… personal.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has announced that ChatGPT will soon allow erotic chats, but only for verified adults who choose to switch on the feature. The decision marks one of the biggest shifts in how mainstream AI platforms approach intimacy, autonomy and user preference.

Altman revealed the update on X (formerly Twitter), saying the move is part of OpenAI’s plan to “treat adult users like adults.”

From Overprotective to Optional Freedom

Altman admitted that when ChatGPT launched, it was wrapped in strict guardrails, especially on sensitive topics.

“We made ChatGPT pretty restrictive,” he said, explaining that early policies were designed to protect vulnerable users, particularly around mental health and sexual content.

But those restrictions had an unintended side effect: many users found the bot stiff, robotic, and at times unwilling to respond like a real person.

According to Altman, new safety tools, filters and age verification systems have given the company confidence to loosen the rules—without ditching responsibility.

What’s Coming and When?

Over the next few weeks, users will start seeing signs of a more flexible chatbot—one that can:

  • Use emojis

  • Be more playful or expressive

  • Mimic different personalities (like a chatty friend)

But the headline change arrives in December, when verified adults will be able to enable an optional “mature mode” that includes erotica.

OpenAI says this feature won’t show up unless someone asks for it and will be locked behind age checks.

Competitors Are Already Getting Saucy

The AI companion trend has exploded, and OpenAI clearly doesn’t want to fall behind. Elon Musk’s platform Grok already leans into flirty, friend-style chats, while several third-party AI apps have quietly built massive user bases with romance and fantasy features.

This move signals OpenAI’s intention to compete—not just as a productivity tool, but as a digital companion.

Applause, Panic and Memes: Public Reaction Has Been Loud

Social media lit up within hours of the announcement.

Some adults celebrated the update, saying they’re tired of being scolded by a chatbot for harmless flirtation.

Others are uneasy, raising questions such as:

  • Will people build emotional dependencies on AI lovers?

  • Can “age checks” really keep minors out?

  • What happens when someone uses erotica to process trauma or fetish content?

Digital rights advocates are split, some argue this is part of respecting autonomy, while psychologists warn of blurred emotional lines between artificial intimacy and real relationships.

A New Phase of AI Relationships

What’s becoming clear is that AI is shifting from being just a productivity buddy to something more personal—even intimate. Whether that excites or unsettles you likely depends on what you think AI is for.

Some see it as harmless fantasy. Others see a slippery slope.

For now, one thing is certain: the days of your chatbot blushing and refusing to answer a spicy message are numbered.

And if you’ve ever thought, “This AI sounds like my HR manager,” well, that might soon be a setting you can switch off.

Source: IOL

Featured Image: X{@crimsonbearz}