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 designed 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 responds to a growing reality: young people are increasingly turning to AI to learn, create, seek advice, and ask questions during formative developmental years. The partnership arrives amid heightened national attention to youth mental health, following a 2023 U.S. Surgeon General advisory warning that social media use among adolescents can pose a profound risk of harm, and a separate APA health advisory the same year that recommended science-based guardrails for teens' online engagement.

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.

We're working with the American Psychological Association to bring psychological science and clinical expertise into our work on AI and youth mental health. Together with the @APA, we'll develop evidence-based guidance, resources, and safeguards to help ensure AI supports young…

— OpenAI Newsroom (@OpenAINewsroom) August 6, 2026

Evidence-Based Safeguards and Multi-Stakeholder Support

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 designed for broad accessibility across school communities.

Second, the initiative will equip clinicians and school psychologists with materials to promote healthy usage, identify overreliance, and intervene in unhealthy patterns. It will also continue convening leaders across healthcare, education, and policy to translate emerging research into practical field guidance.

Third, the collaboration 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. These measures also come at a time of intensifying legislative focus on platform accountability for minors, including congressional efforts such as the Kids Online Safety Act, which has advanced with bipartisan support aimed at requiring platforms to prioritize the safety of underage users.

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.