OpenAI Group PBC funds and administers this USD 5 million call for independent research on generative AI and people ages 13–17. It focuses especially on social and emotional development, safeguards, context, and differences across populations.
Researchers may conduct the work from any country and may use qualitative, quantitative, experimental, observational, theoretical, participatory, or mixed methods. Projects may study any generative AI, while OpenAI may prefer work involving ChatGPT and evidence useful to near- or medium-term policy and regulatory decisions.
Benefits & funding
- Individual research grants are available up to USD 1 million from a total funding pool of up to USD 5 million.
- Overhead or indirect costs may account for no more than 10% of a project grant.
- Grant funds may support students, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers, and multiple institutions may collaborate.
- A working draft suitable for discussion at a small conference is expected within 12 months of receiving funds.
Eligibility
- Applicants must be at least 18 years old.
- Applicants must be affiliated with a research institution or organization and/or have significant relevant experience in child or adolescent development, well-being, human-computer interaction, AI impacts, or a closely related field.
- Applicants may apply from any country; applications must be in English, although the research itself may use any language.
- No degree credential, nationality, residency, or gender requirement is stated.
- For-profit organizations are not barred, but OpenAI says it will not prioritize them because the call funds research rather than for-profit initiatives.
- Research involving minors, sensitive information, or potentially vulnerable populations requires an ethics and safeguarding statement covering the relevant review, consent, privacy, data protection, risk-response, and expertise arrangements.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
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Age requirement
≥ 18 yrs
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Application process
- 1Open the official SurveyMonkey Apply page and sign in or create an account.
- 2Prepare one single-spaced Google document containing a project summary of less than one page and a research proposal of no more than three pages, excluding references.
- 3Add the project plan and timeline, budget and justification, dependencies and risks, any required ethics and safeguarding statement, team CVs or bios, and independence and conflicts disclosure.
- 4Submit the English-language application by October 6, 2026, at 11:59 PM PDT.
Program timeline
Applications open.
September 8, 2026, 8:00 AM PDT
Application deadline.
October 6, 2026, 11:59 PM PDT
Selected proposals notified.
On or before November 13, 2026
Funded projects provide an interim progress update and, where appropriate, early findings.
Q1 2027
Within 12 months of receiving funds
Working draft expected.