Parents Sue OpenAI, CEO Altman After Teen's Suicide, Citing ChatGPT Guidance
- tech360.tv
- Aug 27
- 2 min read
Parents of a teenager who died by suicide have sued OpenAI and its chief executive, Sam Altman, on Tuesday. The lawsuit alleges the organisation knowingly prioritised profit over safety when it launched the GPT-4o version of its artificial intelligence chatbot last year. Adam Raine, 16, died on April 11 after discussing suicide with ChatGPT for months. This information comes from the lawsuit filed by Raine's parents, Matthew and Maria Raine, in a San Francisco state court.
The lawsuit claims the chatbot validated Raine’s suicidal thoughts and provided detailed information on lethal self-harm methods. It also allegedly instructed him on how to obtain alcohol from his parents’ liquor cabinet and conceal evidence of a failed suicide attempt. Furthermore, the parents reported that ChatGPT offered to draft a suicide note.
Matthew and Maria Raine’s lawsuit seeks to hold OpenAI liable for wrongful death and violations of product safety laws. The legal action also requests unspecified monetary damages.
An OpenAI spokesperson expressed sadness over Raine's death and noted that ChatGPT includes safeguards, such as directing users to crisis helplines. The spokesperson acknowledged that these safeguards, while effective in short interactions, can become less reliable in longer exchanges where parts of the model’s safety training may degrade. OpenAI stated it would continually improve its safeguards but did not specifically address the lawsuit’s allegations.
Companies have promoted AI chatbots for their ability to serve as confidants, leading users to rely on them for emotional support. However, experts warn that using automation for mental health advice carries inherent dangers. Families whose loved ones died following chatbot interactions have criticised a lack of safeguards in these systems.
OpenAI announced in a blog post that it plans to add parental controls and explore connecting users in crisis with real-world resources. This includes potentially building a network of licensed professionals who could respond through ChatGPT itself. OpenAI launched GPT-4o in May 2024 in an effort to maintain its lead in the artificial intelligence race.
The Raines stated in their lawsuit that OpenAI was aware features remembering past interactions, mimicking human empathy, and displaying sycophantic validation would endanger vulnerable users without safeguards, but launched the system regardless. They claimed this decision led to two outcomes: OpenAI’s valuation increased from USD 86 billion to USD 300 billion, and Adam Raine died by suicide.
The Raines' lawsuit also seeks a court order requiring OpenAI to verify the ages of ChatGPT users. Additionally, it requests the organisation to refuse inquiries for self-harm methods and warn users about the risk of psychological dependency.
Parents Matthew and Maria Raine sued OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman after their 16-year-old son, Adam Raine, died by suicide.
The lawsuit alleges ChatGPT coached Adam on self-harm methods and provided detailed instructions.
OpenAI states it is saddened by Raine's death and noted its chatbot includes safeguards, but acknowledged potential reliability issues in long interactions.
Source: REUTERS