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   ChatGPTs new age-detection feature is misfiring  and adult users are getting   
   stuck in teen mode   
      
   Date:   
   Thu, 29 Jan 2026 11:40:39 +0000   
      
   Description:   
   OpenAI's age verification AI is annoying adults mistakenly placed in teen    
   mode and pressured to verify their age   
      
   FULL STORY   
      
    ChatGPT's new age-prediction AI model is rolling out globally, but is coming   
   across as a little overzealous in its attempts to spot who is under 18 to set   
   the "teen mode" content filters automatically.    
      
   The goal of using AI to identify underage users and slot them into their own   
   version of the AI chatbot has its appeal, especially with ChatGPT's adult    
   mode due to arrive soon. OpenAI's belief is that its AI models can infer a   
   users likely age based on behavior and context.    
      
   But it seems that ChatGPT isn't only applying protective measures to users   
   under 18. More than a few adult subscribers have found themselves reduced to   
   talking to the teen mode version of ChatGPT, with restrictions keeping them   
   from engaging in more mature topics with the AI. It's been an ongoing issue   
   since OpenAI began testing the feature a couple of months ago, but that    
   hasn't prevented the wider rollout.    
      
   The technical side of this feature is murky. OpenAI says the system uses a   
   combination of behavioral signals, account history, usage patterns, and   
   occasionally language analysis to make an age estimate. In cases of   
   uncertainty, the model errs on the side of caution. In practice, this means   
   newer accounts, users with late-night usage habits, or those who ask about   
   teen-relevant topics may find themselves swept up in the safety net even if   
   theyve subscribed to the Pro version of ChatGPT for a long time.   
      
   AI ID confirmation   
      
   On the surface, it seems like a classic case of good intentions meeting blunt   
   implementation. OpenAI clearly wants to create a safer experience for younger   
   users, especially given the tools growing reach in education, family    
   settings, and teen creative projects.    
      
   For users flagged incorrectly, the company says its easy to resolve. You can   
   confirm your age through a verification tool in Settings. OpenAI uses a   
   third-party tool, Persona, which in some cases may prompt users to submit an   
   official ID or a selfie video to confirm who they are. But for many, the   
   bigger issue isnt the extra click. Its that theyre being misread by a    
   chatbot, and have to give more personal details to beat the accusation.   
      
   Asking for ID even if it's optional and anonymized raises questions about    
   data collection, privacy, and whether this is a backdoor to more aggressive   
   age verification policies in the future. Some users now believe OpenAI is   
   testing the waters for full identity confirmation under the guise of teen   
   safety, while others worry the model could be trained in part on their   
   submitted materials, even if the company insists it is not.    
      
   "Great way to force people to upload selfies," one Redditor wrote . "If   
   [OpenAI] ask me for a selfie, I'll cancel my subscription and delete my   
   account," another wrote . "I understand why they're doing this, but please   
   find a less invasive way. "    
      
   In a statement on its help site, OpenAI clarified that it never sees the ID    
   or image itself. Persona simply confirms whether the account belongs to an   
   adult and passes back a yes or no result. The company also says all data   
   collected during this process is deleted after verification, and the only    
   goal is to correct mistaken classification.    
      
   The tension between OpenAI's goal of personalized AI and overlaying    
   responsive safety mechanisms that don't alienate users is on full display.    
   And it might not satisfy everyone with its explanations about how much it can   
   infer about someone based on behavioral signals.    
      
   YouTube, Instagram, and other platforms have tried similar age estimation   
   tools, and all have faced complaints from adults accused of being underage.   
   But with ChatGPT now a regular companion in classrooms, home offices, and   
   therapy sessions , the idea of an invisible AI filter suddenly using kid   
   gloves feels especially personal.    
      
   OpenAI says it will continue refining the model and improving the    
   verification process based on user feedback. But the average user looking for   
   wine pairing ideas who gets told they're too young to drink might just quit   
   ChatGPT in annoyance. No adult will be happy to be mistaken for a child,   
   especially by a digital robot.    
      
   ======================================================================   
   Link to news story:   
   https://www.techradar.com/ai-platforms-assistants/chatgpt/chatgpts-new-age-det   
   ection-feature-is-misfiring-and-adult-users-are-getting-stuck-in-teen-mode   
      
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