In a nutshell: Bad news for those excited about seeing just how steamy they can make their relationship with ChatGPT. OpenAI has confirmed that the chatbot's long-expected adult mode is being placed on indefinite hold as the company refocuses on other products – the same reason it gave for the recent termination of the Sora video creation app.
Unlike competitor Grok, which is famed for its Spicy mode and less strict guardrails, OpenAI has shied away from ChatGPT generating x-rated material since the chatbot launched.
But CEO Sam Altman decided to give (some of) the people what they want by announcing an in-the-works "adult mode" for ChatGPT in October 2025.
– Sam Altman (@sama) October 15, 2025
Altman emphasized that the mode wouldn't turn ChatGPT in a porn generator, claiming that it would instead enable the creation of "erotica" for verified adults when it arrived, which was supposed to be in the first quarter of 2026.
Despite these assurances, the prospect of adult mode was concerning for some OpenAI execs. One of these was Ryan Beiermeister, OpenAI's former vice president of product policy, who spoke out against it.
Beiermeister was later fired, though OpenAI claims it was related to a sex discrimination case against her – an allegation she denies – and not her opposition to the new mode.
Investors were also worried about the introduction of adult mode, and for good reason. Elon Musk and xAI came under enormous pressure and faced threats of legal action when users started flooding X with undressing images, some of which featured minors, created by Grok. The controversy led to bans in some regions and forced xAI to introduce changes. OpenAI is already facing lawsuits over ChatGPT's alleged role in users' suicides. The company won't want more legal issues to deal with.
The confirmation of adult mode's indefinite delay comes less than a week after OpenAI scrapped Sora, ending its $1 billion partnership with Walt Disney in the process.
– Fidji Simo (@fidjissimo) March 19, 2026
Dropping Sora and adult mode is part of OpenAI's pivot toward enterprise products and away from what it calls "side quests." The company plans to double its workforce to around 8,000 as it shifts its focus, and is reportedly building a "superapp" for desktops that combines ChatGPT, its Atlas web browser, and its Codex coding agent/app.