OpenAI Plans Adult Mode for ChatGPT, Raising Privacy Concerns

Human-AI interaction expert warns of potential surveillance risks with sexting feature

Mar. 19, 2026 at 4:06pm by Ben Kaplan

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

OpenAI plans to allow adults to sext with its popular AI chatbot ChatGPT, raising concerns from experts about the privacy implications of this new feature. While some see it as a way to monetize a behavior people will engage in anyway, others worry about the surveillance aspects of the AI's personalized memory and the potential for abuse, such as a "sexy suicide coach."

Why it matters

The addition of an adult mode to ChatGPT, a mainstream AI platform, marks a shift from the relegation of erotic chatbots to niche sites. Experts warn this could create a privacy nightmare, with the AI potentially logging and remembering users' sexual proclivities and preferences.

The details

OpenAI first hinted at allowing adult users to generate erotica using ChatGPT two years ago, and while the company still seems to be planning its eventual release, the timeline is unclear. In recent months, OpenAI's advisory council of outside experts expressed concerns about the risks of this release, including the possibility of a "sexy suicide coach." OpenAI declined to comment when reached by WIRED.

  • OpenAI first hinted at allowing adult users to generate erotica using ChatGPT two years ago.
  • In recent months, OpenAI's advisory council of outside experts expressed concerns about the risks of this imminent release.

The players

Julie Carpenter

A longtime human-AI interaction expert and author of The Naked Android, who is apprehensive about OpenAI's plans to allow adults to sext with ChatGPT.

Kate Devlin

A professor of AI and society at King's College London, whose research involves digital sex, and who says that erotic chatbots are a revenue-driving business, but are often relegated to niche sites.

OpenAI

The company that created the popular AI chatbot ChatGPT and is planning to allow adults to sext with it, despite concerns from its own advisory council.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I'm for people exploring their sexuality, but I want it in a way that's safe for them as well as fun. People have to be very aware that there's a surveillance aspect to the data.”

— Julie Carpenter, Human-AI interaction expert and author

“They want to monetize something they see that people are going to try and do anyway.”

— Kate Devlin, Professor of AI and society

What’s next

OpenAI has not provided a clear timeline for the release of the adult mode for ChatGPT, but experts continue to raise concerns about the potential privacy and safety risks of this feature.

The takeaway

The addition of an adult mode to ChatGPT, a mainstream AI platform, raises significant privacy concerns, as the AI's personalized memory could log and remember users' sexual preferences and proclivities, potentially creating a surveillance nightmare. Experts warn that this shift from niche erotic chatbots to a major AI platform could have serious consequences if not implemented with robust safeguards and user protections.