OpenAI has decided to pause its planned 'adult mode' for ChatGPT indefinitely, focusing instead on core products. The move comes days after discontinuing its Sora video tool. CEO Sam Altman is prioritizing ChatGPT, Codex, and the Atlas AI browser amid competitive pressures.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has directed the company to shelve work on an 'adult mode' for ChatGPT indefinitely, according to the Financial Times. The feature, which would have allowed text-based chats on adult themes without generating erotic media, faced significant internal and external opposition. Advisers worried it could not reliably block access by minors or prevent the inclusion of sexual abuse material, while investors saw more risks than benefits. Technical challenges in training the model also played a role. Less than a month ago, OpenAI had described the project as merely paused, not abandoned. OpenAI did not respond to requests for comment on the decision. This shift follows the discontinuation of Sora, OpenAI's video generation tool, announced earlier this week. Altman is refocusing efforts on mainstay products like ChatGPT, the coding assistant Codex, and the agentic AI browser Atlas, alongside other ongoing AI developments. The company faces intensifying competition, with Google's Gemini 3 outperforming ChatGPT in tests after its November launch, and Anthropic's Claude Opus 4.5 released the same month. In December, Altman issued a 'code red' to staff, urging improvements. Business AI adoption data from the Ramp Index showed Anthropic gaining 5% in February, while OpenAI declined by 1.5%. Financial pressures mount as OpenAI forecasts a $14 billion loss in 2026 and plans $200 billion in spending through the decade's end, per The New York Times. Broader scrutiny of AI-generated sexual content has grown, including a lawsuit by Baltimore against Elon Musk's xAI over Grok chatbot features and criticism of Meta's AI bots.
