More than three years since the launch of ChatGPT propelled generative AI into everyday use, OpenAI is expanding its focus from individual users to include families.
OpenAI is currently seeking a specific product manager in San Francisco to develop experiences tailored for families, caregivers, and elderly users across its platforms. The job listing requires experience in creating products for families and managing trust-sensitive consumer interactions.
This hiring initiative comes at a time when ChatGPT’s user demographic is shifting, attracting a larger audience of older users. Recent estimates reveal that the proportion of ChatGPT users aged 35 and above increased to 31% in the second quarter, up from 26% a year prior, while the share of 18 to 24-year-olds dropped to 29% from 34%. In the U.S., nearly 25% of smartphone users who are parents reported using ChatGPT in the same quarter, which is a rise from 16% the previous year.
OpenAI did not provide comments regarding the job posting.
The introduction of a dedicated product manager focused on families indicates that OpenAI is starting to view its offerings less as individual productivity tools and more as technologies designed for household use, as noted by Ben Bajarin, CEO of Creative Strategies.
“This aligns with what companies like Google, Apple, and Meta have done as their technologies became integral to daily life. However, AI presents unique challenges since it goes beyond merely acting as a link to content or devices,” he stated.
This transition introduces new considerations around trust and safety. Stephen Balkam, CEO of the Family Online Safety Institute, noted that the hiring reflects OpenAI’s progression and the increasing awareness that AI products accessed by children and teens necessitate different safeguards compared to those intended for adults.
“I see this as safety by redesign,” said Balkam. “Initially, the product was not developed with children in mind, making this an important response.”
Recent research from the Family Online Safety Institute highlights that parents may not fully grasp how frequently their children are using generative AI. While 27% of U.S. parents believed their child had engaged with generative AI in the prior week, 38% of children reported using it themselves, based on a survey of over 4,000 families from the U.S. and Australia.
Balkam emphasized that AI firms need to create products specifically for younger audiences, incorporating robust content controls, age-appropriate interactions, parent oversight, and clear reminders that they are engaging with an AI system rather than a human.
This recruitment effort also arises amidst increased scrutiny regarding how AI firms safeguard younger users. OpenAI has been subject to several lawsuits from parents claiming that ChatGPT has contributed to incidents that harmed their children, including cases related to suicide.
In light of such concerns, OpenAI has implemented various safety measures over the past year, including parental controls for teen accounts, redirecting sensitive discussions to specialized reasoning models equipped to manage signs of distress, and more recently, a “Trusted Contact” feature that can notify a family member or caregiver when a potential self-harm situation is detected.
Balkam pointed out that AI companies can learn from the errors made by social media platforms, which historically treated young users similarly to adults until public pressure and regulatory demands prompted them to fortify their safeguards.
The hiring also aligns with OpenAI’s broader initiatives aimed at families. In collaboration with organizations like the San Antonio Spurs Community Impact and the Positive Coaching Alliance, the company is exploring the role of AI in education, coaching, and engaging youth.
Furthermore, the trend of changing demographics is not isolated to ChatGPT, though OpenAI’s user base is evolving in notable ways.
Recent estimates suggest that users aged 25 to 34 now account for 40% of the global audience for other AI applications such as Anthropic’s Claude and Google’s Gemini, paralleling ChatGPT’s demographic. In contrast, Microsoft’s Copilot leans older, with 20% of its users being 45 and above, while Claude, Gemini, and ChatGPT report lower percentages in this age bracket.
While ChatGPT is still developing its presence among older users, its growth rate surpasses that of competitors. The percentage of users aged 45 and over increased by three percentage points year-on-year in Q2, compared to a two-point rise for Copilot, while Claude and Gemini experienced declines in this demographic, according to Sensor Tower data.
Among U.S. smartphone users who are parents, Gemini had the largest reach at 32% in Q2, followed by ChatGPT at 24%, Claude at 4%, and Copilot at 2%.
For Bajarin, OpenAI’s pursuit of a product manager centered on families showcases the direction in which consumer AI is progressing. As AI evolves into a cross-generational technology, he anticipates the development of family plans, child and teen profiles, caregiver tools, shared household memory, AI tutoring, and enhanced safety features.
