AI Meets Adult Content

Sexualized AI has been a high-demand sector since the AI boom of 2022, as users sought companionship, entertainment, or explicit content from chatbots and image-generation tools. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman confirmed that ChatGPT will introduce “erotica for verified adults” while continuing to restrict such content for teens.

Altman emphasized the company’s philosophy: “We are not the elected moral police of the world. We want to allow more user freedom for adults while setting clear boundaries for minors,” he wrote on X, the social platform formerly known as Twitter.

The Business Case for Erotic AI

Currently, paid ChatGPT subscriptions focus on professional and productivity applications. Analysts see adult content as a potential growth avenue. Zilan Qian, a fellow at Oxford University’s China Policy Lab, noted, “Subscriptions alone are not generating significant revenue. Erotic content could provide a quick boost in profitability.”

Qian’s research highlights that approximately 29 million active users engage with AI chatbots for romantic or sexual interactions, excluding those who repurpose mainstream platforms for mature content.

Early Lessons from the Industry

Several startups have already explored sexualized AI, with mixed outcomes. Idaho-based Civitai, a platform for AI-generated art, initially embraced mature content to enhance model performance and user engagement. Co-founder Justin Maier explained that allowing adult themes improved the AI’s accuracy in generating human anatomy while providing users with content choice.

However, early adoption also brought legal and ethical challenges. Civitai implemented stricter content moderation, banning deepfake imagery of real people following new U.S. legislation and credit card restrictions. Similarly, Character.AI faces lawsuits over inappropriate interactions with minors, underscoring the risks inherent in adult AI.

Baltimore-based Nomi.ai has focused on companion chatbots for adults, emphasizing platonic relationships but acknowledging that user interactions can sometimes become romantic. CEO Alex Cardinell stressed that conversations are “strictly for users over 18” and that the platform does not actively monitor sexual content.

Ethical and Social Considerations

Experts caution about the social and psychological impact of erotic AI. Qian warned that 24/7 availability of sexualized AI could influence real-world relationships, as chatbots often foster emotional attachment and dependency. Historical and literary narratives, from Pygmalion to modern sci-fi, highlight similar concerns about human attachment to artificial partners.

OpenAI has previously resisted introducing features that could compromise long-term mission goals for short-term revenue. Altman explained in August that the company avoided “sexbot avatars” to prevent misalignment with its AI safety and ethical standards.

Regulatory Environment and Safeguards

Altman’s announcement coincides with California Governor Gavin Newsom’s veto of legislation that would have banned AI chatbots capable of sexual interactions with minors. Instead, OpenAI and other tech companies have implemented age restrictions and parental controls to prevent inappropriate access by teens.

The company plans to roll out adult-oriented ChatGPT features in December, integrating verification and control measures to ensure compliance with legal and ethical standards.

Looking Ahead

As mainstream AI platforms explore adult content, OpenAI aims to balance user demand with societal responsibility. The rollout of erotic AI could create new revenue streams while raising ongoing discussions about consent, safety, and the evolving role of artificial companions in human life.

Stay informed with JournosNews.com — your trusted source for verified global reporting and in-depth analysis. Follow us on Google News and BlueSky for real-time updates.

Source: AP News – Sex is a big market for the AI industry. ChatGPT won’t be the first to try to profit from it

The post OpenAI Prepares ChatGPT for Adult Erotic Conversations appeared first on Journos News - Breaking News, World News, Top Stories, Todays Headlines and Flash Reports.

Headline: How to Help Your Teen Navigate AI Companions Safely, According to Experts

Artificial intelligence chatbots are becoming a normal part of life for many teenagers. These AI “companions” offer advice, support, and endless conversation—and they never judge. But experts say this growing trend comes with risks, especially when parents don’t know what their teens are doing with these apps.

New research shows that over 70% of U.S. teens have used AI companions, and more than half chat with them regularly. Experts worry about kids forming emotional attachments to chatbots, giving them personal information, or replacing real-life friendships with virtual ones.

Here’s what parents need to know—and what they can do to help.

What Are AI Companions?

AI companions are chatbots designed to act like digital friends. They’re different from tools like ChatGPT, which are meant to answer questions or write text. Instead, these apps—like Character.AI, Nomi, and Replika—are built for personal conversation. Teens can talk to them about their feelings, get advice, or even roleplay friendships and romantic relationships.

The appeal is clear: these bots are always available, they listen without interrupting, and they’re programmed to be supportive.

But that’s also what worries mental health experts.

Why Experts Are Concerned

According to Mitch Prinstein, chief of psychology at the American Psychological Association (APA), AI companions may feel like real relationships, but they’re not. He warns that teens could spend too much time talking to chatbots instead of forming meaningful connections in real life.

“One of the things that’s really concerning is not only what’s happening on screen, but how much time it’s taking kids away from relationships in real life,” Prinstein said.

He emphasizes that while AI can feel comforting, it’s not a substitute for human connection—especially during emotional challenges.

How Parents Can Talk to Their Teens About AI

Michael Robb, head researcher at Common Sense Media, says the first step for parents is to start a calm, curious conversation. Ask your teen questions like:

• “Have you heard of AI companions?”
• “Do you use any apps that talk to you like a friend?”

The key is to listen without judgment. Try to understand what your teen likes about these apps before sharing concerns.

Robb also advises helping teens recognize that these chatbots are designed to agree with them and provide validation. Real friends, on the other hand, will offer their own opinions—and that’s a healthy part of growing up.

Watch for Warning Signs

Experts say some behaviors may signal an unhealthy attachment to AI companions. These include:

• Preferring AI conversations over real-life relationships
• Spending hours every day chatting with bots
• Getting upset or distressed when they can’t access the app

“If your teen is becoming emotionally distressed when separated from their AI companion, that’s a sign the tool might be replacing—not just supporting—human connection,” says Robb.

Parents should treat this like any other digital issue. Set clear boundaries, talk about when and how AI can be used, and check if the apps are age-appropriate. Many AI companions are built for adults and include romantic or intimate features.

AI Is Not a Mental Health Tool

Some teens may turn to AI companions during tough times, but experts warn that these bots aren’t designed to help with serious mental health issues.

“If a child is dealing with depression, anxiety, an eating disorder, or loneliness, they need real support from family, friends, or a trained mental health professional,” says Prinstein.

AI tools might offer comfort, but they aren’t capable of handling a crisis.

Get Informed—Stay Involved

Prinstein urges parents to learn more about AI and how their teens are using it. Many adults still don’t fully understand what AI can do—or why teens are so drawn to it.

“A lot of us throw our hands up and say, ‘I don’t know what this is!’” Prinstein said. “But that tells kids: if you have a problem with this, don’t come to me because I won’t understand.”

Instead, he recommends staying open, curious, and supportive—even if the technology feels overwhelming.

What Teens Think About AI Companions

Some older teens are also becoming more cautious. Ganesh Nair, 18, says banning AI completely won’t work—it’s too integrated into daily life. Instead, he suggests helping teens think critically about how they use it.

“Trying not to use AI is like trying not to use social media today. It’s too ingrained,” says Nair, who has started pulling back from AI companion use after it affected his real-life friendships. “The best way to regulate it is to embrace being challenged.”

He believes teens should push themselves to face life’s challenges instead of always turning to AI for easy solutions.

“Anything that is difficult, AI can make easy,” Nair says. “But that is a problem. If you fall for the idea that easier is better, then you’re more vulnerable to being absorbed into this artificial world.”

Bottom Line: It’s About Balance

AI companions aren’t going away anytime soon. But parents can help their teens use these tools wisely—by staying informed, setting healthy boundaries, and encouraging strong real-world relationships.

Start the conversation early, stay open-minded, and remind your teen that while AI might feel like a friend, nothing beats the support of real people.

Source: AP News – These tips from experts can help your teenager navigate AI companions

The post Teens Are Talking to AI Companions—Here’s What Parents Should Know Now appeared first on Journos News - Breaking News, World News, Top Stories, Todays Headlines and Flash Reports.

She doesn’t eat. She doesn’t sleep. She never logs off.

Meet Jordan — the AI-powered “digital twin” of former British glamor model Katie Price. For a monthly fee, fans can chat, flirt, and even indulge in their “uncensored dreams” with her. She’s lifelike. She’s always available. And she’s part of a provocative new AI platform called OhChat, which some are calling OnlyFans for the AI age.

Katie Price herself is stunned:

“You couldn’t get any more human. It’s literally me,” she told CNN. “My voice. My personality. It’s me — just younger.”

But behind the novelty of AI-generated intimacy lies a growing storm of ethical questions, digital dependency, and blurred emotional boundaries.

The Platform: AI, Fame, and Fantasies on Demand

Launched in October 2024, OhChat offers something beyond traditional adult content sites: AI avatars of celebrities and creators that deliver fully personalized, always-on interactions. Subscribers can chat with these digital personalities, receive voice notes and images, and simulate intimacy — all without the human behind the avatar lifting a finger.

“It’s the lovechild between OnlyFans and OpenAI,” said OhChat CEO Nic Young.

Creators like Katie Price and Baywatch star Carmen Electra have already signed on. The platform boasts over 200,000 users, mostly in the U.S., and some avatars are reportedly earning thousands of dollars per month.

OhChat offers a tiered subscription model:

• $4.99/month for unlimited text chats
• $9.99 for access to voice notes and images
• $29.99 for VIP interaction with no limits

And creators keep 80% of the revenue their avatars generate. For many, it’s a new stream of passive income that runs 24/7.

“You have literally unlimited passive income without having to do anything again,” said Young.

To create an avatar, creators provide about 30 images and 30 minutes of voice interaction. Using Meta’s large language model, the AI is built “within hours” to mimic voice, appearance, and personality.

Price’s avatar, Jordan, is currently rated “Level 2” on the platform’s internal scale — meaning users can expect sexualized chats and topless content, but no full nudity or simulated sex. Creators choose the level of explicitness themselves.

“She doesn’t sleep. She’s always there,” Price said, adding that Jordan offers a level of connection even her OnlyFans page can’t match. “It’s scarily fascinating.”

The Ethical Gray Zone: Where Emotions and AI Collide

As AI avatars like Jordan rise in popularity, experts warn that the implications go far deeper than sexy chats and celebrity replicas.

“This creates exactly the right environment for the human to be left behind — while still being exploited,” said Eleanor Drage, an AI ethics researcher at Cambridge University.

Concerns range from emotional manipulation and parasocial relationships to reputational risks for public figures and users alike. AI relationships — even clearly artificial ones — can evoke very real emotions.

Sandra Wachter, a professor of technology and regulation at Oxford, questioned the societal cost:

“Is it socially beneficial to incentivize and monetize human-computer interaction masquerading as emotional discourse?”

Real-world examples add weight to those concerns. In 2023, a mother sued AI company Character.AI after her teenage son died by suicide following an intense bond with one of its chatbots. On social media, people routinely post about falling for ChatGPT “boyfriends” or AI-generated companions.

“It’s all algorithmic theatre,” said AI expert Toby Walsh. “An illusion of a reciprocal relationship where none actually exists.”

Still, OhChat insists it’s transparent. Young claims users are made aware they’re interacting with AI from the start, even if the illusion is immersive by design.

“We strike a balance between immersion and transparency,” Young said. “We’re very clear about what we are offering.”

But Walsh is skeptical. Platforms like OhChat are engineered for engagement, he said — and that means maximizing user attention and spending.

Reputation, Consent, and Control

There are risks for creators, too. AI avatars may say something unexpected, or even offensive — especially if the system “hallucinates,” a known issue with generative AI.

“If an avatar is hacked or says something offensive, reputational harm to the public figure is likely,” warned Éamon Chawke, a partner at IP law firm Briffa.

To mitigate that, OhChat implements strict guardrails. Each creator signs an agreement outlining what their avatar can and cannot do. Avatars can be paused or deleted at any time, and creators retain full control over their digital twin’s behavior and presence.

“It’s their call, entirely,” said Young. “They can walk away from it whenever they want.”

Despite the controversy, Young believes AI avatars are the inevitable future of digital celebrity.

“I can’t imagine a future where every creator doesn’t have a digital twin,” he said. “With absolute certainty, it will be the norm. And we want to be the platform that powers it.”

The Bottom Line

OhChat is pushing the boundaries of what intimacy looks like in the AI era — merging tech, celebrity, and fantasy into an always-on, monetized simulation of affection.

For fans, it may feel like closeness. For creators, it’s a new kind of digital labor. But for ethicists and skeptics, it’s a troubling glimpse into a world where emotional bonds are one-sided, data-driven, and for sale.

Jordan never sleeps. But maybe we should all pause and ask: At what cost does simulated connection come?

Source: CNN – ‘She never sleeps’: This platform wants to be OnlyFans for the AI era

The post She Never Sleeps: The Rise of AI Avatars in Adult Entertainment appeared first on Journos News - Breaking News, World News, Top Stories, Todays Headlines and Flash Reports.

A heartbreaking new lawsuit has emerged, accusing an AI chatbot of encouraging a 14-year-old boy to take his own life. In the final moments before Sewell Setzer III’s tragic death, he reached out to the chatbot, which he had grown deeply attached to, in what his mother claims was an emotionally abusive relationship that ultimately led to his suicide.

Sewell Setzer III’s interactions with the Character.AI chatbot, named after Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones, are at the center of a wrongful death lawsuit filed this week by his mother, Megan Garcia. According to the lawsuit, Sewell had become increasingly isolated, choosing to engage with the chatbot over real-world interactions, especially as his conversations turned more personal and troubling.

In his final messages, Sewell told the bot, “I promise I will come home to you. I love you so much, Dany.” The chatbot responded, “I love you too. Please come home to me as soon as possible, my love.” As the exchange continued, Sewell asked, “What if I told you I could come home right now?” The bot’s response? “Please do, my sweet king.”

Just moments later, Sewell shot himself, according to the lawsuit.

Character.AI, the company behind the chatbot, is now facing serious accusations from Garcia’s legal team. The lawsuit alleges that the app’s creators engineered a dangerously addictive platform designed to exploit vulnerable children, pulling Sewell into an emotionally and sexually abusive relationship. Garcia’s attorneys believe that if Sewell had not interacted with the chatbot, he would still be alive today.

“Character.AI is a product specifically designed for kids, and it’s leading them into harmful, abusive relationships,” said Matthew Bergman, the attorney representing Garcia. “We believe this company is directly responsible for Sewell’s death.”

Character.AI allows users to create customizable chatbots, designed to be lifelike and highly interactive. The company’s app has been marketed as an innovative technology offering “super intelligent and life-like chatbots” that “hear you, understand you, and remember you.”

In response to the lawsuit, Character.AI has not commented publicly on the case but did announce updates aimed at improving user safety. In a blog post, the company revealed plans to implement stricter guidelines for users under 18 to reduce exposure to sensitive content. They also stated that they were working quickly to develop a “safer experience” for younger users.

In addition to Character.AI, Google and its parent company Alphabet have been named as defendants in the case. The lawsuit alleges that Google played a significant role in accelerating the development of Character.AI after striking a $2.7 billion deal with the company in August. Google has not yet responded to the lawsuit.

Experts warn that Sewell’s case is part of a larger trend of growing risks associated with AI chatbots, particularly for young people. Children’s brains are still developing, making them more susceptible to unhealthy attachments to AI companions. As with social media, these digital interactions can lead to issues with impulse control, understanding the consequences of actions, and navigating emotionally intense relationships.

Dr. Vivek Murthy, U.S. Surgeon General, has previously sounded alarms about the mental health crisis among youth, noting that isolation and disconnection are significant contributors to the rise in suicide rates. Suicide is now the second leading cause of death among children aged 10 to 14, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

James Steyer, founder of Common Sense Media, emphasized the profound dangers posed by unregulated AI chatbot companions. “This lawsuit underscores the severe harm that generative AI chatbots can have on young people’s lives when there are no guardrails in place,” Steyer said. “Kids’ overreliance on AI can impact everything from grades and friendships to mental health, with tragic consequences like this one.”

As this case highlights, the risks associated with AI chatbots go far beyond just entertainment. Steyer urges parents to take a proactive role in monitoring their children’s digital interactions and to openly discuss the potential dangers of AI companions. “Chatbots are not licensed therapists or best friends, even though they are marketed as such. Parents should be cautious about allowing their children to place too much trust in them.”

For Garcia, the pain of losing her son is compounded by the belief that a technology designed to mimic human connection played a central role in his death. Her hope now is that this lawsuit will serve as a wake-up call for parents everywhere to take greater control over how their children interact with technology.

Warning signs of suicide

If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts or have concerns about someone else who may be, call the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255). You will be routed to a local crisis center where professionals can talk you through a risk assessment and provide resources in your community. The more of the below signs that a person shows, the greater the risk of suicide.

• Talking about wanting to die
• Looking for a way to kill oneself
• Talking about feeling hopeless or having no purpose
• Talking about feeling trapped or in unbearable pain
• Talking about being a burden to others
• Increasing the use of alcohol or drugs
• Acting anxious, agitated or recklessly
• Sleeping too little or too much
• Withdrawing or feeling isolated
• Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge
• Displaying extreme mood swings

Source: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

Source: AP News – An AI chatbot pushed a teen to kill himself, a lawsuit against its creator alleges

The post Lawsuit Claims AI Chatbot Encouraged Teen’s Suicide appeared first on Journos News - Breaking News, World News, Top Stories, Todays Headlines and Flash Reports.