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OpenAI and AARP’s Older Adults Technology Services (OATS), delivered through Senior Planet, are building a multi-year program to improve AI literacy and online safety for older adults. Its scam-awareness lesson teaches a practical three-step habit—“pause, think, and ask”—and shows how ChatGPT can provide another perspective on a suspicious email, text, or message. ChatGPT is only an extra check: it cannot authenticate a sender, guarantee that a message is fraudulent, or replace your judgment and basic safety precautions.
What the OpenAI–AARP partnership includes
OpenAI announced the partnership on September 26, 2025, describing work with AARP’s OATS and Senior Planet. The initial materials combine scam awareness with broader education about using AI safely and confidently.
| Program element | What was announced | Format or audience |
|---|---|---|
| Scam-awareness video | An OpenAI Academy video explains urgent language, secrecy and suspicious links, then demonstrates asking ChatGPT for feedback on a potentially fraudulent message. | Online, self-paced |
| Senior Planet curriculum | Expanded in-person and online lessons covering practical AI use, online safety and privacy. | Older-adult learners |
| Local-partner subgrants | Funding intended to help community organizations deliver training. | Community partners |
| AI for Older Adults Guide | A refreshed guide for learning core AI concepts and uses. | Online reference |
| Privacy and data-protection course | Instruction on protecting personal information while using AI tools. | Online or classroom curriculum |
| AARP state-office training | Specialized instruction for AARP staff in state offices. | AARP personnel |
| Annual national survey | Planned tracking of AI use among older adults. | Research and program planning |
OpenAI also referenced a $2 million Societal Resilience Fund commitment, supported by Microsoft and launched with OATS in 2024, to strengthen Senior Planet and other partners. Program features and funding figures are OpenAI’s descriptions, not an independent evaluation.
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Read the announcement at OpenAI’s September 26, 2025 partnership statement.
How the scam-checking lesson works
1. Pause before responding
Do not click, call, reply or transfer money simply because a message sounds urgent. Scammers often create pressure so you act before checking.
2. Think about the warning signs
- Urgent language: demands for immediate payment, account recovery or secrecy.
- Secrecy: instructions not to tell family, a bank or another trusted person.
- Suspicious links: web addresses that do not match the claimed organization or that arrive unexpectedly.
3. Ask ChatGPT for another perspective
You can paste non-sensitive text and ask ChatGPT to identify red flags, explain why a request might be suspicious, or suggest questions to verify it. Remove names, account numbers, passwords, addresses, one-time codes and other private details first.
ChatGPT’s response is not an authentication result. It may miss a scam, misunderstand context or flag a legitimate message. Verify independently by typing an organization’s known web address yourself, using an official app, or calling a trusted number—not a number supplied in the suspicious message.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsWhat changed in September 2026
In a September 16, 2026 update, OpenAI said its Older Adults AI Skills Jam would bring free, in-person workshops to 1,000 older adults across 10 U.S. communities. Listed partners include Senior Planet sites, the Mirowitz Center, Senior Community Services, Nashville Public Library and FiftyForward, Fresno EOC, and LEARN Idaho.
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The workshops cover everyday uses of ChatGPT and include scam spotting as an additional layer of scrutiny and prevention. The 1,000-person figure and community list are OpenAI’s stated program plan; the update does not report completion, attendance results or evidence that the workshops reduce fraud.
See OpenAI’s September 16, 2026 update for the announced workshop details.
Why this training matters to older adults
AARP Research surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults age 50 and older through its Foresight 50+ probability-based panel from August 15–19, 2024. Interviews were conducted online and by phone, and results were weighted across demographic and other factors. The survey measured concern—not victimization or scam rates.
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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →| AI-related threat | Share concerned |
|---|---|
| Password cracking | 87% |
| Deepfakes | 85% |
| Spear phishing | 84% |
| Voice cloning | 84% |
| Synthetic identities | 83% |
| Automated scams targeting many people | 81% |
| Personally becoming a target of AI-related fraud | 77% |
OpenAI’s 2025 announcement also cited an AARP finding that 30% of older adults were excited about AI’s potential and said AI use had doubled, but it did not provide the underlying time period or denominator. Those statements should not be treated as a precise growth rate.
Full survey context is available from AARP Research.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Safe ways to use ChatGPT when a message seems suspicious
- Copy only the wording needed for analysis; redact personal and financial information.
- Ask for specific red flags rather than “Is this definitely a scam?”
- Do not open a link or attachment to obtain text for the prompt.
- Compare the message with information in an official account or statement you access separately.
- Discuss high-stakes requests with a trusted person, bank, government agency or the organization’s verified support channel.
- If money or credentials may already be exposed, contact the relevant bank or service immediately and change compromised passwords from a trusted device.
Where to get human help
AARP’s separate Scams & Fraud resource hub addresses questions such as “How can I tell if this email/text/call is a scam?” and “What should I do first?” The page lists AARP’s fraud helpline, 877-908-3360, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time. Check the hub for current hours and contact details before calling, and avoid entering sensitive information into any online AI answer tool.
What the partnership does—and does not—promise
It does provide
- Free videos, guides, courses and community workshops focused on practical AI and privacy skills.
- A repeatable pause-and-check method for suspicious communications.
- Human-supported learning through Senior Planet and local organizations, alongside self-paced material.
It does not provide
- A guarantee that ChatGPT can identify every scam or verify a sender.
- A replacement for avoiding suspicious links, withholding personal information and checking through trusted channels.
- Published evidence that the training improves detection accuracy or prevents fraud.
The September 2026 workshops are an expansion of the partnership introduced in 2025, not a separate replacement program. For anyone learning the method, the safest interpretation is simple: use ChatGPT to raise questions, then make the final decision using independent verification and human judgment.
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