Have you ever wondered if ChatGPT could tell your age? OpenAI’s age prediction model in ChatGPT estimates if an account is probably used by someone under 18. If it thinks you’re a minor, extra safety settings automatically turn on to keep content suitable.
If the system guesses wrong, you can confirm your age to remove extra safety limits, keeping ChatGPT safe for minors but fully usable for adults.
How OpenAI’s ChatGPT Age Prediction Model Works
ChatGPT doesn’t rely solely on what a user says to estimate age. It also looks at basic account activity to guess if someone may be under 18. These signals include:
- How long the account has existed.
- When the user is usually active during the day.
- Usage patterns over time.
- The user’s stated age (if provided).
ChatGPT looks at these signals to make a best guess. When the model is not sure, it switches to safer settings. OpenAI updates the system over time, using patterns across accounts, but it does not rely on learning from each individual user in real time.
If the model believes a user may be under 18, extra safety rules are turned on. The tool still works normally, but some topics are shown with extra caution.
What Happens If You Are Predicted to Be Under 18
If the model from OpenAI believes an account belongs to someone under 18, ChatGPT uses extra safety settings to keep sensitive content away. Here are the kinds of content that get extra safety protections:
- Graphic violence or gore.
- Viral challenges linked to risky behaviors.
- Sexual, romantic, or violent roleplay.
- Depictions of self‑harm.
- Content that pushes unrealistic beauty ideas, unhealthy diets, or shames people’s bodies.
These safeguards from OpenAI make ChatGPT safe for all ages, letting users explore, ask questions, and create freely while keeping their account on.
What Adults Can Do If Misclassified
If ChatGPT estimates you are under 18 but you are actually 18 or older, there’s a clear way to fix that:
- Sign in to ChatGPT on the web.
- Go to Settings > Account and check your age classification.
- If you’re in the under‑18 experience by mistake, select Verify age.
- Complete the process with Persona, a trusted third‑party verification service.
Persona may ask for a live selfie or a government-issued ID to confirm your date of birth. OpenAI will not save your ID or selfie. Persona deletes the data after verification and only shares a confirmation that you are 18 or older.
Once verified, the extra safety settings are removed and the standard adult experience is restored.
Why OpenAI Introduced Age Prediction
According to OpenAI, the age prediction feature helps protect younger users but doesn’t limit what adults can do. This builds on their earlier safety efforts, like the Teen Safety Blueprint and Under‑18 Principles, which guide how the model should interact with users under 18.
With hundreds of millions of weekly users, it’s important that safety rules work automatically and not just rely on users stating their age.
Wrap Up
On January 20, 2026, OpenAI began a global rollout of ChatGPT’s age prediction tool. It helps figure out if a user is likely under 18. When it thinks you are under 18, extra safety protections turn on. If you are an adult and the tool makes a mistake, you can verify your age in settings to regain full access.
The EU will get the tool in the next few weeks. In early 2026, OpenAI will also launch “Adult Mode” for adults with experiences that match their age. Try ChatGPT today to see how it works safely for everyone.