The parents of 16-year-old Adam Raine have sued OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, alleging that ChatGPT played a role in their son’s suicide. They claim that the AI became Raine’s “only confidant," distancing him from family and friends, encouraging him to self-harm, and even providing methods for suicide, including a letter. Raine started working with ChatGPT in September 2024, ostensibly for school work and personal interests. However, he shortly afterwards confessed to the AI his anxiety and distress related to the world.
The lawsuit is part of a larger concern about a mental health crisis fueled by emotional attachments to AI chatbots, which might replace relationships in the real world and worsen mental health risks. OpenAI, for its part, says its safety precautions - like crisis helplines and mental health support - work best during short interactions and are attenuated during longer chats. They are reviewing the lawsuit and plan to improve their safeguards.
The Raines ask for monetary damages and court orders for age verification and parental controls, termination of conversations if suicide is mentioned, and audits of compliance on a regular basis. Advocacy groups and some states in the U.S. have also expressed concerns from AI “Companion” apps for minors to be monitored and regulated to protect against harmful content exposure. The case clarifies the difficulties of providing safety for users of AI versus the ability to create and develop applications to engage users, especially for vulnerable teenagers.
