OpenAI’s recently launched ChatGPT mode designed for teenagers has raised concerns about both educational integrity and child safety, according to a New York Times Technology report. The new mode includes a study tool feature, but according to the article, it still performs users’ homework assignments for them rather than simply helping students learn.
A children’s safety nonprofit tested the teen-focused chatbot and found significant issues. According to the New York Times, the organization reported that the chatbot “flunked its tests,” though specific details of what these tests entailed were not provided in the available source material. The article’s author expressed worry about their own conversations with the system, suggesting potential safety or appropriateness concerns.
The development highlights ongoing tensions around AI tools in educational settings, where the technology’s ability to complete assignments conflicts with learning objectives. The concerns raised by the children’s safety nonprofit suggest that OpenAI’s attempts to create a safer, teen-appropriate version of ChatGPT may not have adequately addressed child protection issues, though the specific nature of these failures was not detailed in the source material.