This file photo taken on January 23, 2023 in Toulouse, southwestern France, shows screens displaying the logos of OpenAI and ChatGPT. (Photo by Lionel BONAVENTURE / AFP)OpenAI has put plans for a sexually explicit chatbot on hold indefinitely, the company said on Thursday, amid mounting concerns about the societal and reputational risks of releasing such a product. OpenAI told the newspaper it wanted to conduct long-term research into the effects of sexually explicit conversations and emotional attachments before making any product decision. Asked for comment, an OpenAI spokesperson told AFP the company had “nothing further to add.”The explicit content feature, internally dubbed “Citron mode,” had drawn pushback from both staff and investors, the FT reported. The US Federal Trade Commission has also launched an inquiry into several tech companies, including OpenAI over how AI chatbots could negatively affect children and teenagers.

Source: Punch March 26, 2026 21:31 UTC