New Delhi, Dec. 20 -- OpenAI on Thursday announced changes to its Model Spec, the internal rulebook that guides how its artificial intelligence systems behave, with a new and explicit focus on protecting teenagers who use ChatGPT.

The San Francisco-based company said the updated guidelines put the safety of users aged 13 to 17 above all other objectives, including the long-standing goal of maximising helpfulness and user freedom. The move comes amid growing scrutiny of how generative AI tools affect younger users.

In a blog post released on Thursday, OpenAI said teenagers have different developmental needs compared to adults and that AI systems must respond to them in a more cautious and age-appropriate manner.

While the broader princi...