Minimum age for AI, service by service
There is no single age for "AI". Every service sets its own, some change it without notice, and in Europe the number depends on the country as well. This page collects what each provider states in its own terms, with the date we checked it.
It is meant for deciding at home on facts rather than hearsay. If a figure no longer matches what the app says, the provider wins: tell us and we correct it at the next review.
The register
| Service | Minimum age | Parental permission | Parental controls |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPTOpenAI | 13+ | Until 18 | Yes |
| GeminiGoogle | By country | Until 18 | Yes |
| ClaudeAnthropic | 18+ | No | No |
| CopilotMicrosoft | 13+ | Until 18 | Yes |
| Meta AIMeta | 13+ | Until 18 | Yes |
| My AISnapchat | 13+ | Until 18 | Yes |
| Character.AICharacter Technologies | 18+ | No | No |
| PerplexityPerplexity AI | 13+ | Until 18 | No |
| GrokxAI | 13+ | Until 18 | No |
| CanvaCanva | 13+ | Until 18 | No |
What sits behind each figure
ChatGPT OpenAI
13 at the least, or your country's age if it is higher. Between 13 and 18 a parent or guardian has to give permission. Since 2026 there are parental controls that link the adult's account to the teenager's.
Source: openai.com · help.openai.com Checked July 25, 2026
Gemini Google
The minimum age is your country's age for managing your own Google Account: 14 in Spain, 16 in Germany, 15 in France, 14 in Italy, 13 in Portugal. Below that, Google only opens Gemini on supervised Family Link accounts, and those supervised accounts do not get Gemini in the European Economic Area, Switzerland or the UK.
Source: support.google.com · support.google.com Checked July 25, 2026
Claude Anthropic
18 and over only. That is not a recommendation but the actual requirement: there is no under-18 version and no parental permission that substitutes for it.
Source: www.anthropic.com Checked July 25, 2026
Copilot Microsoft
13 at the least, more in some countries. Below that there is no access at all, not even with a parent's permission. Between 13 and 18 Microsoft does not personalise results, shows no personalised ads and does not use those conversations for training.
Source: support.microsoft.com · support.microsoft.com Checked July 25, 2026
Meta AI Meta
Tied to the age of Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp: 13. Teen accounts keep answers within what would fit a 13+ rated film, and a parent can switch off one-to-one chats with AI characters entirely or block specific characters.
Source: about.fb.com · about.fb.com Checked July 25, 2026
My AI Snapchat
13, like Snapchat itself, and higher in some regions. From Family Center a parent can stop My AI from replying to their teenager, and its messages are then neither stored nor processed.
Source: help.snapchat.com · values.snap.com Checked July 25, 2026
Character.AI Character Technologies
Since 25 November 2025, anyone under 18 can no longer hold open-ended conversations with the characters: the account stays in reading mode. The platform estimates age from usage signals and, if needed, asks for a selfie to verify it. A big change that few families have heard about.
Source: blog.character.ai · support.character.ai Checked July 25, 2026
Perplexity Perplexity AI
13 at the least. If the user is a minor, it is the parent or guardian who has to accept the terms, and before first use. There is no parental control panel.
Source: www.perplexity.ai Checked July 25, 2026
Grok xAI
13, and between 13 and 17 a parent or guardian has to give permission and accept the terms. The terms themselves warn that the service can produce output that is not appropriate for all ages.
Source: x.ai Checked July 25, 2026
Canva Canva
13, or your country's data consent age. Below that, a child can only use Canva if their school or teacher invites them through Canva for Education, under supervision. That is the usual route for creating with AI in class.
Source: www.canva.com · www.canva.com Checked July 25, 2026
The age depends on the country (Google Account)
European data protection law lets each country decide from what age a minor can consent on their own. That is why the same app asks for different ages on either side of a border. This is the minimum age for managing your own Google Account, which is what unlocks Gemini:
| Country | Minimum age |
|---|---|
| Spain | 14 years |
| Germany | 16 years |
| France | 15 years |
| Italy | 14 years |
| Portugal | 13 years |
| Austria | 14 years |
| Switzerland | 16 years |
| All other countries | 13 years |
Source: support.google.com Checked July 25, 2026
How it is checked
Every row is read at the provider's own source, not in third-party articles: terms of use, help pages and official announcements. It is reviewed once a month and whenever a provider announces a change. What changes is logged below, with a date.
Changelog
- July 25, 2026 First edition: 10 services checked one by one against each provider's terms and help pages, plus the table of minimum ages per country for a Google Account.
Open data
The full register is available as a JSON file, with sources and check dates, for anyone who wants to cite or reuse it:
ai-age-limits.json CC BY 4.0
Frequently asked questions
From what age can my child use artificial intelligence?
It depends on the service and the country. Most assistants require 13 at the least, Claude and Character.AI require 18, and in Europe the figure rises by country: 16 in Germany, 15 in France, 14 in Spain and Italy. The table above breaks it down service by service.
Why is the age higher in Germany than in Spain?
Because European data protection law lets each country set that age between 13 and 16. Germany chose 16, France 15, Spain and Italy 14, Portugal 13. The provider applies the age of the country the child is in.
Is my permission enough for my child to use an app below the minimum age?
Not always. On ChatGPT or Grok, parental permission is exactly what is required between 13 and 18. On Copilot, by contrast, there is no access below the minimum age even with permission, and Claude has no under-18 version at all.
How often is this page updated?
Once a month, and whenever a provider changes something. Each row carries its check date and the changes are listed in the log at the end.
And once the age is settled?
A minimum age only says who is allowed in. What changes things at home is what the AI is used for: endless consuming, or making something of your own. That is what the books and the guide are about.
The complete guide for families → Short ideas from the blog →
This page summarises the terms published by each provider. It replaces neither reading those terms nor legal advice.