OpenAI has announced a partnership with the American Psychological Association (APA) to integrate psychological science and clinical expertise into the development and deployment of artificial intelligence tools for young people.
The collaboration aims to produce evidence-based guidance, resources, and safeguards that ensure AI supports adolescent mental health and healthy development rather than undermining it.
The initiative addresses a growing reality: young people are increasingly using AI to learn, create, seek advice, and ask questions during formative developmental years. APA leadership emphasized that the organization brings developmental science and clinical expertise to define responsible design standards that protect youth well-being.
OpenAI’s head of mental health and well-being product policy noted that technology should strengthen rather than replace the real-world relationships and care that young people rely on, and that the collaboration will ground practical safeguards in scientific evidence.
The partnership will concentrate on three core areas. First, it will develop practical tools for parents and caregivers to navigate AI use at home, including guidance on recognizing when adult intervention is appropriate and reinforcing AI as a supplementary tool rather than a substitute for human connection. These resources are intended for broad accessibility across school communities.
Second, it will equip clinicians and school psychologists with materials to promote healthy usage, identify overreliance, and intervene in unhealthy patterns, while continuing to convene leaders across healthcare, education, and policy to translate emerging research into practical field guidance.
Third, it will actively incorporate the voices of teens, families, and educators through structured convenings to understand existing support gaps and identify where AI can responsibly assist with access, education, or system navigation.
This effort builds upon OpenAI’s existing safety infrastructure, which includes collaboration with more than 260 mental health experts to improve ChatGPT’s responses during moments of distress. The company has also expanded localized crisis resources, introduced one-click hotlines and break reminders, and implemented safeguards for users under 18, including parental controls, safety notifications, under-18 principles in its Model Spec, and an age-prediction model.
By grounding its approach in behavioral science and lived experience, OpenAI and the APA aim to create a sustainable framework that prioritizes strong human relationships while leveraging AI’s potential to help young people find information and support earlier in their development.
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