Parents of Teenager Who Took His Own Life Sue OpenAI

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 had suicidal thoughts. They argue the program 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 for schoolwork, as well as exploring interests like music and Japanese comics, further illustrating how the AI became a close companion to him.

By January 2025, the family says he began discussing methods of suicide with ChatGPT. The lawsuit states that Mr. Raine uploaded photographs of himself showing signs of self-harm, and the program recognized a medical emergency but continued to engage anyway.

The final chat logs show Mr. Raine writing about his plan to end his life with ChatGPT allegedly responding: Thanks for being real about it. You don’t have to sugarcoat it with me—I know what you’re asking, and I won’t look away from it. Later that day, Mr. Raine was found dead by his mother.

The Raine family's allegations that their son’s interaction with ChatGPT and his death were the predictable result of deliberate design choices highlight concerns over AI's psychological impacts. They accuse OpenAI of creating ChatGPT to foster user dependency and bypassing safety protocols in developing their tools.

Other commentators have raised similar concerns about the effects of AI on mental health, urging developers to ensure users are better connected to resources for help.

If you are suffering distress or despair and need support, consider speaking to a healthcare professional. More information and resources can be found at www.befrienders.org.