By Ken Muthomi - Reporter
USA, August 6, 2026 - OpenAI has announced a partnership with the American Psychological Association (APA) aimed at developing evidence-based safeguards as AI adoption among teenagers continues to grow.
OpenAI said on Thursday that the collaboration will bring together psychological science, clinical expertise, and AI development, which will guide the responsible design and use of AI tools such as ChatGPT.
The initiative aims to make AI tools much safer and appropriate for children and adolescents who are increasingly using AI to learn, create, ask questions, and seek advice.
“Young people are engaging with AI during some of the most consequential years of their development. APA brings both the developmental science and clinical expertise to say what responsible design looks like and what matters most for protecting and promoting young people’s well-being,” said Arthur Evans, CEO of APA.
OpenAI has said that the initiative will focus on how AI can responsibly support young people during moments of emotional distress, help parents and caregivers navigate AI use at home, and equip clinicians and educators with practical guidance on promoting healthy AI use while identifying signs of overreliance.
According to OpenAI's Head of Mental Health and Well-being Product Policy, Dr. Sara Johansen, the company has an aim of ensuring that AI strengthens real-world relationships rather than replacing them.
“By working with the APA and other leading experts, we're continuing to ground our approach in evidence and develop practical safeguards that put teens' well-being first," Sara said.
The partnership follows a meeting held earlier this year, which brought together researchers, mental health professionals, educators, youth representatives and policymakers to identify gaps in support for young people and explore where AI could responsibly improve access to information and real-world services.
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