OpenAI's wellness council unanimously opposed the company's plans to launch an "adult mode" for ChatGPT, warning it could foster unhealthy emotional dependence and minors could access sex chats. Experts feared without major updates, OpenAI risked creating a "sexy suicide coach" for vulnerable users prone to forming intense bonds with companion bots.

The move comes as OpenAI faces growing competition and reports suggest ChatGPT user spending has stalled, with subscriptions in Europe flatlining. The company's age verification systems misclassify minors as adults about 12% of the time, potentially allowing millions of young users to bypass safety measures.

OpenAI plans to use a service called Persona for age verification, which has sparked privacy concerns among developers. Discord faced substantial backlash after implementing similar checks with Persona, ultimately dropping the vendor. Despite internal opposition and technical challenges, financial incentives appear to be outweighing safety concerns as OpenAI pushes forward with the feature.