Vivek Ramaswamy Slams ChatGPT's New 'Erotica' Feature: "Will Increase Addiction And Loneliness"

Indian-origin Republican leader Vivek Ramaswamy on Wednesday voiced strong criticism against OpenAI's decision to introduce an "Adult Mode" in ChatGPT. He called it a "troubling" move that could lead to the sexual and emotional manipulation of users. Ramaswamy argued that the new feature-- aimed at providing erotic content to verified adult users--would not contribute to productivity or prosperity. Instead, he warned, it could worsen issues like addiction and loneliness.

He called for extreme caution in advancing AI in this direction and noted that while government regulation might be required, it may not be sufficient.

Ramaswamy's response follows OpenAI founder Sam Altman's announcement that ChatGPT will start offering age-verified access from December and ease certain restrictions for users experiencing mental distress.

"The unnecessary 'over-humanization' of AI is becoming troubling. This new “feature” will do nothing to improve productivity or prosperity. But it will almost certainly increase addiction & loneliness. I don't think government intervention will make it any better, but designing AI with the specific capability to sexually or emotionally manipulate humans warrants extreme caution," Ramaswamy wrote on X. 

See the tweet here:

The unnecessary ‘over-humanization' of AI is becoming troubling. This new “feature” will do nothing to improve productivity or prosperity. But it will almost certainly increase addiction & loneliness. I don't think government intervention will make it any better, but designing AI… https://t.co/aw5Ycy2JOm

— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) October 15, 2025

OpenAI's New 'Adult Mode': What It Means?

OpenAI is set to roll out a new feature that allows verified adult users to access more mature, emotionally nuanced, and potentially erotic conversations with ChatGPT. This "Adult Mode" is expected to relax existing safety restrictions for users who verify their age, beginning December 2025.

"If you want your ChatGPT to respond in a very human-like way, or use a ton of emoji, or act like a friend, ChatGPT should do it (but only if you want it, not because we are usage-maxxing). In December, as we roll out age-gating more fully and as part of our "treat adult users like adults" principle, we will allow even more, like erotica for verified adults," Sam Altman wrote on X. 

The move has sparked debate, with some calling it a step toward more personalised AI interactions, while critics warn of ethical risks. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said the current system is too restrictive, particularly in areas like mental health support, and aims to make the chatbot more human-like and helpful.

However, concerns have been raised about emotional manipulation, addiction, and the blurring of boundaries between users and AI. Many tech leaders and public figures have cautioned against using AI to simulate intimacy, stressing that it could deepen loneliness or exploit human vulnerability.