March 30, 2026, 12:03 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
With “Citron Mode,” OpenAI had been working on an adult chatbot in recent months. The launch was originally planned for spring 2026, but that is now on hold. The company has stopped the project and is temporarily withdrawing from this area.
As reported by the “Financial Times” (paywall), OpenAI has postponed the project indefinitely. The exact reason for the decision is not entirely clear. However, according to the report, it was likely not just the global outrage over Grok’s sexual escapades that played a role. Warnings from investors and employees also apparently contributed. This ultimately led OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to put the plans on ice. A senior employee reportedly even quit over the erotic plans, telling the newspaper that AI should neither replace friends and family nor interfere with human relationships. OpenAI also confirmed that the company first wants to explore the impact of emotional attachments to AI chatbots.
Musk Already Went Further with Grok
The sensitivity of the topic is also evident when looking at Elon Musk. He apparently began in 2025 to provide his AI Grok with erotic chatbots that allow users to engage in suggestive conversations. The development went further, culminating in the ability to create pornographic deepfakes with Grok. This sparked worldwide outrage and led to a major scandal. OpenAI is not alone in its considerations of AI erotica, but it faces an environment where the risks and public criticism have already become apparent.
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In addition to the protest, OpenAI reportedly faced significant technical hurdles. According to the “Wall Street Journal” (paywall), the planned age verification system had a very high error rate. This apparently lacked a crucial prerequisite for a controlled launch. Additionally, according to the article, OpenAI failed to safely limit the AI to legal pornographic content. Illegal aspects such as violence and incest could not be reliably excluded. This would have been a significant risk, especially for an adult offering.
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The Project No Longer Fits the New Course
Additionally, OpenAI is apparently undergoing a fundamental realignment. At the end of March 2026, the company unexpectedly scrapped the video AI Sora, according to the article. At the same time, OpenAI announced plans to transform ChatGPT into an ultimate productivity tool on a large scale. A risky venture into the erotic market does not align with this goal. This is precisely why the decision to halt “Citron Mode” for now seems like part of a larger strategic reorientation.