OpenAI Japan announces Japan Teen Safety Blueprint to put teen safety first
OpenAI Japan has launched the Japan Teen Safety Blueprint, a framework that adds age‑aware protections, stronger safety policies for users under 18, expanded parental controls, and well‑being‑centered design features. The blueprint aims to help teens use generative AI safely while balancing convenience, privacy, and freedom of use.
The Core Development
OpenAI Japan today announced the Japan Teen Safety Blueprint, a new framework to help teens use generative AI safely and with confidence.
In Japan, where a growing number of teens are already using generative AI for learning, creativity, and everyday tasks, this work is especially important. As the first generation grows up alongside AI, it is critical to ensure that these technologies are designed with their safety and well-being in mind from the outset.
Generative AI is already supporting people across a wide range of activities from learning and creative expression to everyday tasks that help individuals thrive at school, at work, and in their personal lives. At a broader level, it also has the potential to accelerate scientific discovery and help address complex challenges facing society.
What’s New in This Version
At the same time, like any powerful technology, AI introduces new risks, especially for younger users including exposure to misinformation, inappropriate content, and psychological strain. Our approach is guided by a clear principle: for teens, safety comes first, even when it requires tradeoffs with convenience, privacy, or freedom of use.
More advanced age-aware protections on platform OpenAI will apply privacy-conscious, risk-based age estimation to better distinguish teens from adults and provide appropriate protections for each group. Appeals processes will be available when users believe age determinations are incorrect.
Real-World Use Cases & Applications
Research-based, well-being-centered design In collaboration with clinicians, researchers, educators, and child safety experts, OpenAI will continue improving features such as break reminders and pathways to real-world support, while advancing research into AI’s impact on teen mental health and development.
Safeguards that detect potential self-harm signals and guide users to real-world resources
Deployment & Availability
We support Japan’s approach to balancing strong protections for minors with responsible access to technology. We will continue to engage with parents, educators, researchers, policymakers, and local communities through transparent dialogue and continuous improvement. We also believe that protecting teens in the age of AI is a shared responsibility, and that these types of protections should become a standard across the industry.
Strategic Perspective & Ecosystem Impact
Stronger safety policies for users under 18 OpenAI will strengthen protections to help ensure AI do not depict or encourage self-harm or suicide, generate explicit sexual or violent content, encourage dangerous behavior, or reinforce harmful body image. Responses will be designed to be appropriate to the developmental stage of younger users. We also ensure the AI does not help minors conceal risky behaviors, symptoms, or health-related concerns from trusted parents or caregivers.
Expanded parental controls Tools such as account linking, privacy and settings controls, usage-time management, and alerts when needed will help families tailor protections based on their individual circumstances.
These new efforts build on protections already in place across ChatGPT, including:
Why it matters
The initiative reflects growing industry recognition that AI must be designed with child safety in mind, setting a potential standard for responsible AI deployment worldwide.