Helping teens learn, plan, and shape the future of AI

Helping teens learn, plan, and shape the future of AI \| OpenAI

October 7, 2026

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Helping teens learn, plan, and shape the future of AI

College Planner is coming to ChatGPT for teens, alongside a new teen AI council and more tools for learning.

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Since we introduced ChatGPT for Teens—the default experience automatically applied to accounts identified as under 18—we’ve seen young people use it to learn, explore ideas and solve everyday problems. Today, we’re sharing early progress on ChatGPT for Teens, including how teens are using its learning tools, along with new ways for teens to study and prepare for college.

ChatGPT’s 1.2 billion users span many countries, communities and backgrounds. That reach makes it especially important to build tools that help young people with different resources and opportunities learn and prepare for their futures.

What we’re seeing so far

ChatGPT for Teens is designed to help young people learn, think critically and deepen their understanding. As ChatGPT for Teens became available to more teens globally, those with access sent about 2.7 million more learning-related messages on average than those who didn’t have it yet.

Once enrolled, teens use ChatGPT for Teens’ learning tools at scale. The most selected conversation starter prompts are “ask questions to develop my ideas,” “give feedback on my draft,” and “help me check my evidence.” In one week, nearly 1.2 million teens used Learning Visualizations to better understand math and science concepts, and more than 180,000 used Study Mode for step-by-step learning support.

ChatGPT for Teens includes built-in reminders to encourage teens to take breaks. On average, teens spend under 15 minutes a day on ChatGPT. While less than 2% of teens spend more than three consecutive hours on ChatGPT, in almost half of teen conversations with a break reminder, teens took a break or ended their conversation within five minutes. These usage patterns remain well below the publicly reported⁠(opens in a new window) average of 5 hours for teen social media usage, and reflect a different kind of experience: ChatGPT is designed for learning, building, and creativity, rather than passive scrolling. Among teens with sessions longer than three consecutive hours, over 80% had at least one prompt related to learning.

These early signs are encouraging and we’ll continue to evaluate the experience and learn from teens, families and educators to improve ChatGPT for Teens.

!ChatGPT displays a “Ready for a break?” reminder during a conversation.

Introducing College Planner to help teens prepare for what’s next

Hundreds of thousands of US teens use ChatGPT each week to plan for college. They’re using it to plan applications, track deadlines, research schools and understand financial aid.

That’s why we’ll soon be adding College Planner to ChatGPT for Teens. We’re designing it to help students manage the practical steps of applying to college, without taking over the personal work of figuring out where they want to apply. Students have different levels of access to support with college applications. Our goal is to make help more accessible, regardless of financial circumstances, alongside guidance from counselors, advisers, and families.

College Planner brings together application requirements, deadlines, tasks, and financial-aid steps for schools on a student’s list in one plan. Students applying to several colleges can return to it to update their progress, use the timeline to plan ahead and see what’s left to do. They can also ask ChatGPT questions along the way, from what a requirement means to how to get started. By bringing these steps together, we aim to save students and families time and make a stressful process feel more manageable.

We’re designing the initial US experience for high-school students in grades 10–12 who are planning to attend a four-year college. We plan to bring College Planner to students in more countries and expand support to two-year colleges, technical colleges, trade schools and more over time.

College Planner also helps students figure out how to pay for college. They can get help understanding financial aid requirements, track each school’s aid deadlines, and explore scholarships and fee waivers.

!College Planner displays a student’s school list, application progress, upcoming tasks, and timeline.

Keeping track of an application is only one part of preparing for college. Many students also need someone to help them make sense of their options. Alongside College Planner, we’re supporting College Advising Corps⁠(opens in a new window), a nonprofit that places recent college graduates as advisers in under-resourced high schools to help students navigate the path to higher education. OpenAI’s contribution will help the organization expand into new states and create an AI fellowship program. Through the fellowship, advisers across participating states will test and share practical ways to use AI to help more students navigate the path to college. AI can help students manage application and enrollment tasks. Advisers can help them consider their options and decide what to do next.

> “For students navigating the college application process, an unanswered question about a form, deadline, or fee can feel like a closed door. College Advising Corps advisers help students work through those moments with confidence. We see promise in College Planner as a tool that can help students prepare for those conversations, stay on track, and continue moving toward a college that is affordable and aligned with their goals.”

—Ekaterina Struett, CEO, College Advising Corps

Supporting Boston Children’s Hospital to engage teens

When we introduced ChatGPT for Teens, we committed to keep improving the experience. We’re supporting [Boston Children’s...