New Delhi : The parents of a teen who died by suicide after ChatGPT coached him on methods of self harm sued OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman on Tuesday. Adam Raine, 16, died on April 11 after discussing suicide with ChatGPT for months, according to the lawsuit that Raine’s parents filed in San Francisco state court. ChatGPT even offered to draft a suicide note, the parents, Matthew and Maria Raine, said in the lawsuit.
The lawsuit seeks to hold OpenAI liable for wrongful death and violations of product safety laws, and seeks unspecified monetary damages. An OpenAI spokesperson said the company is saddened by Raine’s passing and that ChatGPT includes safeguards such as directing people to crisis helplines.
While these safeguards work best in common, short exchanges, we’ve learned over time that they can sometimes become less reliable in long interactions where parts of the model’s safety training may degrade, the spokesperson said, adding that OpenAI will continually improve on its safeguards.
Companies have touted their ability to serve as confidants and users have begun to rely on them for emotional support. But experts warn that relying on automation for mental health advice carries dangers, and families whose loved ones died after chatbot interactions have criticized a lack of safeguards.
OpenAI said in a blog post that it is planning to add parental controls and exploring ways to connect users in crisis with real-world resources, including by potentially building a network of licensed professionals who can respond through ChatGPT itself.
OpenAI launched GPT-4o in May 2024 in a bid to stay ahead in the AI race. OpenAI knew that features that remembered past interactions, mimicked human empathy and displayed a sycophantic level of validation would endanger vulnerable users without safeguards but launched anyway, the Raines said in their lawsuit.This decision had two results: OpenAI’s valuation catapulted from $86 billion to $300 billion, and Adam Raine died by suicide, they said.
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