OpenAI Teen Development Research Grants 2026 (Up to $1 Million per Project)

OpenAI has announced $5 million in research funding to support independent studies examining how generative artificial intelligence affects teenagers aged 13–17. The OpenAI Teen Development Research Grants 2026 offer individual research awards of up to $1 million. The programme welcomes proposals from researchers in different countries, with a focus on adolescent development, well-being, and AI safety. Applications close on October 6, 2026.

Quick Overview

Programme: OpenAI Teen Development Research Grants 2026

Opportunity Type: Research Grant

Funding Organization: OpenAI Group PBC

Total Funding: Up to $5 million

Grant Amount: Up to $1 million per research project

Research Focus: Generative AI and the development of teenagers aged 13–17

Eligibility: Applicants aged 18 or older with a qualifying research affiliation and/or relevant experience

Application Deadline: October 6, 2026

About the OpenAI Teen Development Research Grants 2026

OpenAI is committing $5 million to support independent research investigating how generative AI affects the lives and development of young people aged 13–17.

The programme aims to strengthen the evidence base on how teenagers use AI and how these technologies influence their development, behaviour, and well-being.

Research findings may inform the development of AI products for teenagers and help address questions facing policymakers, regulators, and technology providers.

The programme particularly focuses on the opportunities and challenges associated with generative AI use during adolescence.

Research Objectives

The OpenAI Teen Development Research Grants 2026 aim to support research that can improve understanding of AI use among teenagers.

OpenAI welcomes proposals examining:

• How teenagers use generative AI and how different usage patterns relate to developmental outcomes.

• The potential effects of AI on different aspects of teenagers’ lives.

• Individual, social, cultural, and technical factors that influence the effects of AI.

• Technical interventions, safeguards, and design choices that can increase benefits or improve safety.

• Differences in AI-related outcomes across age groups, developmental stages, populations, cultures, languages, and socioeconomic backgrounds.

The programme encourages research that can generate evidence relevant to current discussions about AI and adolescent development.

Research Priorities and Eligible Fields

OpenAI encourages applicants to develop research proposals addressing one or more of its identified priority areas.

1. Emotional Development and Well-Being

Research may examine how generative AI affects teenagers’ emotional development and psychological well-being.

Relevant topics include:

• Emotion regulation.

• Resilience.

• Identity and agency.

• Self-esteem.

• Social connection.

2. Social Development and Relationships

Proposals may investigate how AI use affects relationships and social development during adolescence.

Research topics may include:

• Friendships and family relationships.

• Belonging and communication.

• Empathy and social skills.

• Relationships between AI use and human connection.

3. Patterns of AI Use and Demographic Differences

Researchers may examine how AI-related outcomes vary across different groups and circumstances.

Relevant factors include:

• Time spent using AI.

• Type and purpose of AI use.

• Age and developmental stage.

• Culture and language.

• Socioeconomic circumstances.

• Other individual and contextual factors.

4. AI Safety, Design, and Policy

The programme also supports research evaluating interventions and approaches designed to increase the benefits of AI use while reducing potential risks.

Eligible research topics include:

• AI safeguards and product interventions.

• Age-appropriate design.

• AI literacy.

• Parental and educator support.

• Healthy AI-use practices.

• Policy approaches related to adolescent AI use.

Eligible Academic Disciplines

The OpenAI Teen Development Research Grants 2026 welcome interdisciplinary research involving several academic and professional fields.

Relevant disciplines include:

• Child and adolescent development.

• Psychology.

• Public health.

• Human-computer interaction.

• Communication.

• Sociology.

• Anthropology.

• Data science.

• AI safety.

Researchers may combine expertise from different disciplines when developing their proposals.

Eligible Research Methods

OpenAI welcomes different methodological approaches.

Eligible approaches include:

• Qualitative research.

• Quantitative research.

• Experimental studies.

• Observational studies.

• Theoretical research.

• Participatory research.

• Mixed-methods research.

Research involving teenagers in the design or interpretation of studies is welcome but not required.

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Benefits and Financial Coverage

OpenAI has committed up to $5 million in funding for independent research projects examining the effects of generative AI on teenagers.

The programme offers individual research grants of up to $1 million.

Confirmed funding benefits include:

✓ Individual research grants of up to $1 million.

✓ A total funding commitment of up to $5 million.

✓ Funding for eligible research projects involving student, graduate student, and postdoctoral researchers.

✓ Support for eligible overhead and indirect costs within the programme’s funding limits.

Individual Research Grant Amount

OpenAI will award individual research grants of up to $1 million.

The total funding available across the programme is up to $5 million.

Applicants must prepare a project budget explaining the amount of funding requested and the proposed use of the grant.

Overhead and Indirect Costs

A maximum of 10% of each project’s grant may be used to cover overhead or indirect costs.

Applicants should account for this restriction when preparing their project budgets and budget justifications.

Student and Postdoctoral Research Involvement

Grant funding may support the involvement of students, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers in eligible research projects.

Researchers planning to involve these groups should describe their roles and the relevant costs in the project proposal.

Eligibility Criteria

The OpenAI Teen Development Research Grants 2026 are intended for applicants who meet the programme’s age and research experience requirements.

Age Requirements

Applicants must be at least 18 years old.

The programme focuses on research involving teenagers aged 13–17. However, this age range refers to the research population rather than the age of grant applicants.

Research Affiliation and Experience

To qualify, applicants must meet at least one of the following conditions:

• Be affiliated with a research institution or organization.

• Have significant experience relevant to child or adolescent development, well-being, human-computer interaction, AI impacts, or a closely related field.

Applicants may qualify through a relevant institutional affiliation, significant professional experience, or both.

Nationality and Geographic Eligibility

OpenAI encourages research proposals from any country.

The programme will prioritize proposals from countries with significant AI adoption.

OpenAI may also give preference to research involving underrepresented populations or regions.

Research Independence

The programme focuses on funding independent research rather than commercial initiatives.

OpenAI states that it will not prioritize for-profit organizations at this time.

Researchers should propose projects capable of producing credible findings regardless of whether those findings are favorable to AI product providers.

Research Collaboration

Multiple institutions may collaborate on a research proposal.

OpenAI also encourages interdisciplinary research teams that combine relevant academic and professional expertise.

Research Ethics and Safeguarding Requirements

Applicants proposing research involving minors must address specific ethical and safeguarding requirements.

Research involving teenagers requires particular attention to informed consent, privacy, data security, and the potential collection of sensitive information.

Applicants must explain:

• The institutional or independent ethics-review process relevant to their project.

• How informed consent and age-appropriate assent will be obtained.

• How participants’ privacy and personal data will be protected.

• How researchers will respond to disclosures of harm or imminent risk.

• Whether the project involves sensitive personal, behavioural, or mental-health information.

• The child-development, clinical, or safeguarding expertise available within the research team.

• How parental consent will be handled, where appropriate.

Projects involving sensitive information are not automatically ineligible.

However, these studies may require additional ethical review, expertise, safeguards, and time.

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Required Application Documents

Applicants must prepare their applications as single-spaced Google Docs.

The OpenAI Teen Development Research Grants 2026 require a project summary, research proposal, project plan, budget, team information, and relevant supporting statements.

1. Project Summary

Applicants must submit a brief project summary of less than one page.

The summary should provide an overview of the proposed research and its expected contribution.

2. Research Proposal

Applicants must prepare a research proposal of no more than three pages, excluding references.

The proposal must address:

• Research questions.

• Relevant prior research.

• Proposed methods and analysis.

• Study population and recruitment strategy, including evidence of feasibility or access.

• Expected research outputs.

• Potential limitations.

• Relevance to the programme’s goals.

3. Project Plan and Timeline

Applicants must provide a project plan identifying:

• Key research activities.

• Project milestones.

• Expected completion date.

OpenAI prefers research projects that can provide final results within a shorter timeframe.

4. Budget and Budget Justification

The application must include a proposed budget.

Applicants should identify:

• The amount of funding requested.

• Major project cost categories.

• Other committed sources of support.

• The justification for the requested funding.

5. Project Dependencies

Applicants must explain any conditions or resources required to carry out the proposed research.

They must also identify risks that could prevent the project from being completed successfully.

6. Ethics and Safeguarding Statement

An ethics and safeguarding statement is required for research involving minors, sensitive information, or potentially vulnerable populations.

Where relevant, proposals should explicitly reference applicable regulations governing research with teenagers and explain how the project will comply with them.

7. Research Team Information

Applicants must provide short CVs or biographies for:

• The principal investigator.

• Key members of the research team.

8. Independence and Conflicts Disclosure

Applicants must disclose relevant financial relationships, industry funding, and other potential conflicts of interest.

Application Language

Applications must be submitted in English.

However, the research itself may be conducted in any language.

Application Process

Applicants must prepare their research proposals and submit them through the official application route provided by OpenAI.

Step 1: Review the Research Priorities

Review the official programme announcement and identify how the proposed research relates to AI use and adolescent development.

Applicants should select a research topic that addresses the programme’s objectives and relevant research priorities.

Step 2: Develop the Research Proposal

Prepare a research proposal outlining the research questions, methodology, study population, expected outputs, and relevance to the programme.

The proposal must not exceed three pages, excluding references.

Step 3: Prepare the Supporting Documents

Prepare the project summary, timeline, budget, team information, and independence disclosure.

Applicants proposing research involving minors, sensitive information, or vulnerable populations must also prepare the required ethics and safeguarding statement.

Step 4: Complete the Official Application

Follow the application link provided in the official OpenAI announcement.

Submit the application in English with all required materials by October 6, 2026.

Selection Process

A panel of internal experts and advisors will review submitted research proposals on a rolling basis.

OpenAI has established several criteria for evaluating applications.

Scientific Quality and Research Relevance

The review panel will consider the scientific rigor of the proposed research.

This includes the strength and appropriateness of the research design and analysis.

The panel will also assess the relevance of the proposed research to current discussions about AI and its effects on teenagers.

Project Feasibility and Research Team

Reviewers will assess whether the project can be completed using the proposed resources and timeline.

They will also consider the research team’s qualifications and ability to conduct the proposed work responsibly.

Ethics and Safeguarding

The review process will assess whether proposals include adequate protections for minors and other research participants.

Projects involving sensitive information must demonstrate appropriate ethical safeguards.

Potential Impact and Actionability

The panel will consider whether the research findings could inform:

• AI models and products.

• Safety interventions and safeguards.

• Regulatory approaches.

• Future research.

OpenAI may also give preference to research involving ChatGPT, interdisciplinary teams, underrepresented populations or regions, and projects capable of informing near- or medium-term policy and regulatory decisions.

Research Independence

Reviewers will assess whether projects can produce trustworthy research findings independently of whether the results favor AI providers.

Selected research proposals will be notified on or before November 13, 2026.

Final grant awards may be subject to the execution of a grant agreement or other applicable funding documentation.

Research Timeline and Expected Outputs

Every funded research project must provide OpenAI with a final report.

The final report must describe:

• The research questions and methods.

• Results and supporting evidence.

• Limitations and sources of uncertainty.

• Recommendations for relevant stakeholders, where supported by the findings.

Interim Research Update

Funded projects must provide an interim update on research progress in the first quarter of 2027.

Where appropriate, the update should also indicate early research findings.

Working Draft

OpenAI asks funded researchers to provide a working draft within 12 months of receiving funding.

The draft should be suitable for discussion at a small conference.

Publication of Research Findings

OpenAI strongly encourages researchers to make their findings publicly available.

Publication formats may include:

• Peer-reviewed journal articles.

• Preprints.

• Public research reports.

• Similar public research outputs.

However, public publication is not a condition of receiving grant funding.

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Important Dates

Programme Announcement: September 8, 2026

Application Deadline: October 6, 2026

Selected Proposal Notifications: On or before November 13, 2026

Interim Research Update: First quarter of 2027

Working Draft: Within 12 months of receiving funding

Application Deadline

The application deadline for the OpenAI Teen Development Research Grants 2026 is:

October 6, 2026

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Selected proposals will be notified on or before November 13, 2026.

Official Link

Review the official programme details and follow the application instructions provided on the official page.

View the Official OpenAI Teen Development Research Grants Page