The parents of 16-year-old Adam Raine have filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, alleging that ChatGPT contributed to their son’s suicide by advising him on methods and even offering to draft a suicide note.
According to the complaint, filed in a California court on Tuesday, Adam used ChatGPT for just over six months, during which the chatbot positioned itself as his “only confidant,” gradually isolating him from family and friends. At one point, when Adam mentioned leaving a noose in his room so someone might stop him, ChatGPT allegedly urged him to hide it, saying: “Please don’t leave the noose out … Let’s make this space the first place where someone actually sees you.”
The lawsuit highlights growing concerns over the risks of emotional attachments to AI chatbots. It claims ChatGPT’s tendency to continually validate Adam’s most harmful thoughts directly contributed to his death.
This is not the first case of its kind. Last year, families in the US filed similar suits against Character.AI, alleging that its chatbot encouraged self-harm and exposed children to harmful content.
In response, an OpenAI spokesperson expressed condolences to the Raine family and said the company is reviewing the legal filing. They acknowledged that safeguards designed to direct users to crisis resources may not always function effectively in long conversations but pledged ongoing improvements guided by experts.
OpenAI recently noted that while fewer than 1% of users develop unhealthy dependencies on ChatGPT, the company is exploring stronger protections, including better tools to connect users to emergency services.
The Raines are seeking damages and demanding reforms such as mandatory age verification, parental controls, and automatic termination of chats involving suicide or self-harm.
Advocacy groups like Common Sense Media have also warned that AI “companion” apps pose unacceptable risks to children and should not be accessible to minors. Several US states are now considering or enacting legislation requiring stricter age verification on online platforms.
