OpenAI is making a push to improve ChatGPT’s ability to help when people are struggling. The company laid out a 120-day plan that focuses on better crisis support, easier access to emergency services, connecting with trusted contacts, and new protections for teens.
Some of this work is already moving quickly while other parts will take longer. OpenAI says it isn’t doing this alone. It’s leaning on outside experts to help shape the right approach.
Earlier this year, OpenAI created what it calls the Expert Council on Well-Being and AI. This group includes specialists in youth development, mental health, and human-computer interaction. The idea is to use evidence and research to guide how ChatGPT should handle sensitive moments. Their advice is already influencing future safeguards, including parental controls.
The council is paired with OpenAI’s Global Physician Network. This network includes more than 250 doctors across 60 countries. Over 90 physicians, including psychiatrists and pediatricians, have already given input on how AI should behave when mental health is involved. OpenAI says more experts in areas like eating disorders and substance use are being added to the group.
Another part of the plan is using its more advanced reasoning models in sensitive conversations. OpenAI points to GPT-5-thinking and o3, which it says are better at considering context before responding. Soon, chats that show signs of acute distress will be routed to these reasoning models so people get more thoughtful answers.
On the teen side, OpenAI is adding parental controls. Parents will soon be able to link their account to a teen’s (minimum age 13) and set age-appropriate behavior rules. They’ll also be able to turn off features like memory and chat history. In some cases, parents will even get alerts if the system detects a teen in distress. OpenAI says these alerts will be designed with expert input to balance trust and awareness.
The company says this is just the start. Over the next 120 days, more updates will roll out, and the work will continue beyond that. The bigger goal is to make ChatGPT more helpful, while giving families and teens tools that actually fit into everyday life.
