OpenAI Backs California's SB 1119 Teen AI Safety Bill
OpenAI announced its support for California SB 1119, state legislation setting safety standards for how minors interact with AI products while aiming to preserve their access to educational AI tools.
Details
- What the bill requires: AI providers must verify user age, identify and mitigate safety risks before granting youth access, undergo independent audits, shield minors from harmful content including self-harm and exploitative material, give parents monitoring and control tools, connect teens to crisis resources when needed, and restrict targeted advertising and personal data use
- Automatic for teens: for users aged 13-17, these protections apply automatically rather than as opt-in settings
- OpenAI’s stated reasoning: the company says the bill “pairs strong protections with continued access to useful AI tools,” and specifically praised the legislation for recognizing that “AI is not social media,” tailoring its safeguards accordingly rather than importing social-media-style regulation wholesale
- Ties to OpenAI’s own product: OpenAI pointed to its existing ChatGPT for Teens — with built-in protections and parental controls, and a memory feature preserved for educational use — as an example of the approach the bill would formalize industry-wide
What happened next
OpenAI framed its support as filling a gap left by the absence of federal youth-AI-safety regulation, positioning itself ahead of the legislative process rather than reacting to a bill already passed — a stance that could shape how other states approach similar rules if SB 1119 advances.