People in romantic relationships with AI want more than just ‘smut’ from ChatGPT

As OpenAI delays the chatbot’s ‘adult mode,’ some users who profess to be involved with AI partners say they just want to have grownup conversations.

[Source Image: Freepik]

BY María José Gutierrez Chavez

For most, ChatGPT is nothing more than a tool to write emails or ask silly questions. But for some, their chat is their partner, and they want more.

Back in October, just a few months after OpenAI rolled out its new GPT-5 model, CEO Sam Altman announced that the company would roll out new features that would mimic its predecessor 4o.

“We plan to put out a new version of ChatGPT that allows people to have a personality that behaves more like what people liked about 4o (we hope it will be better!),” he said via X.

But his announcement was also accompanied by an enticing promise to those most attached to 4o: members of online forums who claim to be in romantic relationships with their chatbot.

“In December, as we roll out age-gating more fully and as part of our ‘treat adult users like adults’ principle,” Altman said, “we will allow even more, like erotica for verified adults.”

But months past the deadline, OpenAI is delaying the rollout. According to sources at OpenAI who spoke with the Wall Street Journal, the delay is tied to technical challenges regarding safety guardrails and age verification features to keep the mature content off of minors hands.

The model’s age-prediction system, WSJ reports, has in the past misclassified minors as adults almost one in 10 times, which could virtually open up doors for millions of minors to interact with erotic content.

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