OPENAI
ChatGPT’s adult filter stays, for now
OpenAI has delayed its adult mode again, months after it was first announced.
The feature was first mentioned by CEO Sam Altman last October, with an initial launch expected in December.
That timeline has now passed, and OpenAI says the rollout has been pushed to a later date.
A company spokesperson told Axios that engineers are currently focused on higher-priority updates, including improvements to ChatGPT’s intelligence, personality tweaks, and more proactive responses.
OpenAI still supports the idea of allowing adults to discuss mature topics with AI, but says more time is needed to ensure the feature works properly.
Details about the mode remain limited.
OpenAI previously said it would only be available to users verified to be over 18, though early age-verification systems have faced technical issues.
The delay comes as OpenAI faces broader scrutiny over its partnerships and direction.
The company recently signed an agreement with the U.S. military, which has raised concerns among some critics about how AI could be used in surveillance and defence systems.
The situation has also led to internal changes.
In brief:
ChatGPT’s adult mode has been delayed beyond its original December launch window.
OpenAI says its engineers are prioritising intelligence upgrades and behaviour improvements.
The company recently released the GPT-5.4 Thinking model focused on more complex tasks.
Feature in limbo
Caitlin Kalinowski, OpenAI’s head of robotics, has stepped down from the company following the Pentagon agreement, and some employees have previously raised concerns about safety policies.
For now, OpenAI has not shared a new launch timeline for the adult mode.
The company’s most recent update instead introduced the GPT-5.4 Thinking model, designed to handle more complex reasoning tasks.
I guess Grok has that corner of the market covered. - MV