Sam Altman says OpenAI isn’t “the world’s moral police” as ChatGPT prepares to allow adult content

ChatGPT

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has defended the company’s move to loosen ChatGPT’s content restrictions, saying it’s “not the elected moral police of the world.” His comments come after backlash over plans to allow erotica and other adult-oriented material for verified users later this year.

Altman said the update aligns with OpenAI’s goal to “treat adult users like adults,” while ensuring harmful content remains off-limits. “In the same way that society differentiates appropriate boundaries—R-rated movies, for example—we want to do a similar thing here,” he wrote on X.

The clarification follows his earlier post announcing that OpenAI would “safely relax” restrictions after mitigating “serious mental health issues.” The company, he said, has developed better tools to handle safety risks, allowing it to be “more flexible” without endangering users.

OpenAI’s decision sparked a wave of criticism online, with some accusing the company of backtracking on earlier promises to keep ChatGPT family-friendly. Altman acknowledged the uproar, admitting the response “blew up” more than he expected.

The reversal also contrasts with Altman’s own remarks from August, when he said he was “proud” of resisting features like “sex bot avatars” that might boost engagement but undermine long-term goals.

OpenAI has faced increasing scrutiny from regulators and the public over child safety. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission launched an inquiry into the company’s youth safeguards last month, while OpenAI remains named in a wrongful death lawsuit linked to ChatGPT.

In recent months, the firm has introduced parental controls, an age prediction system, and a new expert council focused on AI’s mental health impacts. The changes are part of what Altman calls a “more mature” phase for ChatGPT—one that will balance openness, safety, and user autonomy.