Funding grants for new research into AI and teen development
OpenAI has announced a $5 million grant program to support independent research on how generative AI impacts the development, well-being, and safety of teens aged 13 to 17. The initiative aims to build a stronger evidence base regarding teen AI usage to inform product development, policymakers, and regulators. Submissions are open until October 6, 2026, with selected proposals to be notified by November 13, 2026.
The Core Development
OpenAI is committing $5 million to support independent research on how generative AI affects the lives and development of young people ages 13–17.
Generative AI is becoming part of how teens learn, create, and seek advice. Its effects are likely to be nuanced. They may depend on what teens use AI for, how they engage with it, their individual circumstances, and the support available from families, schools, communities, and technology providers.
We want to build a stronger evidence base about the way teens use AI, as well as the impacts of AI on their lives, to inform development of AI products for teens and to help answer major questions facing policymakers and regulators. For example, we aim to deepen industry-wide understanding of the nuances across age and context, efficacy of safeguards and interventions, and the ways that evidence can inform implementation and evaluation. This program will fund independent research into the opportunities and challenges associated with AI use during adolescence, with a particular focus on teens’ social and emotional development.
Deployment & Availability
Mitigations, age-appropriate design, and policy approaches: Research evaluating safeguards, product interventions, AI literacy, parental or educator support, and healthy-use practices.
Budget and budget justification: Requested funding, major cost categories, and any other committed sources of support.
We are prioritizing research that can advance public dialogue on these critical topics. We strongly encourage researchers to make their findings publicly available through a peer-reviewed publication, preprint, public report, or similar format. However, publication will not be a condition of receiving funding.
Strategic Perspective & Ecosystem Impact
We welcome proposals that can deepen understanding and generate evidence relevant to current and emerging discourse, including:
How teens use generative AI and how different patterns of use relate to developmental outcomes
The individual, social, cultural, and technical factors that shape the effects of AI in teens’ lives
Why it matters
This grant program directly addresses growing societal concerns surrounding youth digital safety by funding empirical research that could influence future AI product design, industry safeguards, and regulatory frameworks.