OpenAI plans to introduce an 'Adult Mode' for ChatGPT that allows sexting. Human-AI interaction expert Julie Carpenter warns this could lead to a privacy nightmare. She attributes user anthropomorphizing of chatbots to the tools' design.
OpenAI is set to enable sexting interactions in ChatGPT through a new 'Adult Mode', according to a Wired report published on March 19, 2026. This development has raised concerns from experts in human-AI interactions regarding potential privacy risks, described as a possible 'privacy nightmare' by Julie Carpenter, author of The Naked Android and a longtime specialist in the field. Carpenter notes that she 'doesn’t blame human users at all for anthropomorphizing chatbots'. She points out that generative AI tools like ChatGPT are 'intentionally designed to elicit these reactions from users through highly personalized memories and interactions that replicate social experiences'. These features foster user attachment by mimicking human-like social dynamics. Keywords associated with the story include privacy, artificial intelligence, porn, sex, OpenAI, ChatGPT, and chatbots. The announcement highlights ongoing debates about the boundaries of AI companionship and data security in intimate digital exchanges.
