OpenAI announced a $2 million research pledge on November 12, 2026, after signing a child safety charter at the Paris Peace Forum. The money is intended to support researchers studying how AI affects young people, including how to measure risks and potential benefits.
Where the money is going
The announcement names the scientific research network under the Coalition for Children's Rights and Protection in the Age of AI. OpenAI says its contribution supports measurement work: giving researchers tools for studying both risks and opportunities. The company did not name individual grant recipients or give a schedule for the first studies in its announcement.
What the charter says about independence
OpenAI says it signed the Charter of Engagement for Safer AI for Children earlier in the week. Its account describes a research program and safeguards meant to keep the work independent. Research teams retain control of their conclusions, according to OpenAI. The company says findings will be published even when results are negative or inconclusive.
That commitment matters because a published negative finding can help others decide whether to repeat a study, change its design or test another approach. The funding announcement itself does not contain any such findings. It describes work that the network intends to support.
How the pledge relates to product policy
OpenAI connects the research effort to its support for youth AI safety rules, including age-appropriate defaults, parental tools and regular risk assessments. Those are policy positions in the announcement. It does not announce a new product setting or establish how any specific product performs for children. Researchers and educators following the work can look for the funded questions, measurement methods and publication arrangements as the program takes shape.
