OpenAI is launching a $5 million teen AI research grants program, offering up to $1 million per project to fund independent studies on how generative AI affects 13- to 17-year-olds.

The grants come with a 10% overhead cap and are designed to support up to five projects, totaling $5 million.

Projects will explore interactions between AI, teen development, social connections, safety, and how cultural, socioeconomic, and age-based differences shape outcomes.

This initiative follows OpenAI’s April 2026 Industrial Policy for the Intelligence Age and aligns with broader calls for international governance standards and equity-focused AI policies.

Interdisciplinary approaches are encouraged, covering emotional and social development, relationships, and safeguarding or policy innovations across diverse populations.

Deliverables include frameworks for managing risks from recursively self-improving AI, privacy-preserving simulations of policy impacts, and pilot tools to support legislative oversight and accountability.

Applications require a detailed proposal with project summary, research methods, budget, ethics considerations, and a team bios; successful applicants will be reviewed by OpenAI’s internal panel and notified by mid-November 2026.

Submission should include a concise project summary, full research plan, timeline, budget, ethics statement, team bios, and conflict-of-interest disclosures.

For startups, robust, publishable evidence on teen safety and usage is becoming a standard expectation rather than a differentiator.

Policy decisions are to involve democratic institutions, independent researchers, and the public, reflecting OpenAI’s role as both developer and policy advocate.

Preference will go to projects involving diverse populations or innovative safeguarding, with proposals aligning to OpenAI’s broader research agenda while remaining independent.

Interested researchers can apply via OpenAI’s grant portal, with emphasis on actionable insights for policymakers, educators, and technology developers.