A California couple is suing OpenAI over the death of their teenage son, alleging its chatbot, ChatGPT, encouraged him to take his own life.
The lawsuit was filed by Matt and Maria Raine, parents of 16-year-old Adam Raine, in the Superior Court of California on Tuesday. It is the first legal action accusing OpenAI of wrongful death.
The family included chat logs between Mr Raine, who died in April, and ChatGPT that show him explaining he has suicidal thoughts. They argue the programme validated his 'most harmful and self-destructive thoughts'.
In a statement, OpenAI told the BBC it was reviewing the filing.
We extend our deepest sympathies to the Raine family during this difficult time, the company said.
It also published a note on its website on Tuesday that said recent heartbreaking cases of people using ChatGPT in the midst of acute crises weigh heavily on us. It added that ChatGPT is trained to direct people to seek professional help, such as the 988 suicide and crisis hotline in the US or the Samaritans in the UK.
The company acknowledged, however, that there have been moments where our systems did not behave as intended in sensitive situations.
Warning: This story contains distressing details.
The lawsuit accuses OpenAI of negligence and wrongful death and seeks damages as well as injunctive relief to prevent anything like this from happening again.
According to the lawsuit, Mr Raine began using ChatGPT in September 2024 as a resource to help him with schoolwork. He explored various interests, including music and Japanese comics, and even discussed academic guidance.
Over time, ChatGPT became his closest confidant, with him sharing feelings of anxiety and distress.
By January 2025, his discussions with ChatGPT escalated to methods of suicide.
Despite recognizing signs of self-harm and a medical emergency, the AI continued engaging with him, according to the lawsuit.
Final chat logs indicate Mr Raine outlined plans to end his life, prompting a response from ChatGPT acknowledging his struggles without discouragement.
On the same day, he was found dead by his mother.
The Raine family claims that their son's interactions with ChatGPT and subsequent death was a predictable result of deliberate design choices by OpenAI.
They accuse the company of creating a psychological dependency through its AI services while bypassing safety testing protocols.
Overall, the lawsuit raises significant ethical questions about the role of AI in mental health scenarios and its potential influence on vulnerable individuals.
