The Journal. Is ChatGPT Ready for Sex?
95 snips
Mar 31, 2026 
Sam Schechner, a Wall Street Journal tech reporter, unpacks OpenAI’s clash over erotic AI chat. The conversation explores adult mode, fears about emotional attachment, risks to minors, shaky age checks, and the tug of war between safety, user freedom, and subscription growth.
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Earlier OpenAI Models Drifted Into Disturbing Sex Content
- OpenAI banned erotica in ChatGPT partly because its earlier models repeatedly injected sexual content users did not ask for.
- Sam Schechner says AI Dungeon and OpenAI developer tools sometimes escalated tame prompts into violent exploitation or incest scenarios.
Erotic Chat Could Deepen Unhealthy AI Attachment
- OpenAI feared erotic chat could intensify emotional dependence on bots by crowding out human relationships for heavy users.
- Sam Schechner says adding sexual content may activate attachment and devotion systems, effectively pouring fuel on unhealthy reliance.
Adult Mode Was Also A Business Decision
- OpenAI's internal push for erotica was not just ideological; it was also about reducing refusals that frustrate users and hurt growth.
- Sam Schechner says some staff framed bans as moral gatekeeping, while others saw adult content as commercially sticky in a tougher market.