Sam Altman Changes His Mind: Development of Controversial "18+ Mode" for ChatGPT Shelved After Clash with Advisors

OpenAI has definitively shelved plans to introduce an "adult mode" for its chatbot, and according to sources at the Financial Times, the decision to halt the project has been made for the foreseeable future. This is part of a larger strategic shift: the AI developer is scaling back experimental side projects to double down on holding its ground in the race against competitors.

The idea of creating an erotic mode initially sparked fierce internal debate within the company, and back in October of last year, Sam Altman publicly acknowledged the possibility of introducing such a feature, which immediately triggered a wave of criticism from watchdog organizations and OpenAI employees. Ultimately, the release of the feature was delayed multiple times, and now, as sources confirm, work on it has been halted.

The decision regarding the "adult mode" is just one in a series of recent moves by OpenAI to shed side projects. The company is clearly shifting into a phase of intense focus on its core products. Additionally, the company has abandoned the development of the Instant Checkout feature within ChatGPT—which was meant to turn the chatbot into a shopping portal for online retailers—and announced the shutdown of its Sora video generator.

Market dynamics are pushing OpenAI to rethink its priorities. Its main competitor, Anthropic, has been aggressively rolling out a suite of programming and business tools in recent months, demonstrating significant success in attracting corporate clients. Recently, OpenAI secured a $200 million contract with the U.S. Department of Defense, beating out Anthropic, which is currently entangled in legal disputes with the agency.

Thus, OpenAI’s current actions reveal a clear strategic direction: instead of experimenting with erotic content and video generation, the company is betting on the corporate sector and partnerships with government institutions.

What do you think—is OpenAI right to ditch these "consumer-friendly" features in favor of strict business solutions, or does this make the product feel less human? Share your thoughts in the comments.