OpenAI blames ‘misuse’ of ChatGPT after 16-year-old kills himself

Lawyers for ChatGPT’s father or mother company OpenAI declare a teenager “misused” the chatbot when it helped him discover a technique to kill himself — and even provided to jot down a suicide letter.

Adam Raine’s dad and mom filed a lawsuit against OpenAI in August after discovering that their son’s conversations with the chatbot confirmed “months of encouragement from ChatGPT” to kill himself, according to court docket paperwork filed on Tuesday.

In response, OpenAI — headed by CEO Sam Altman — blamed Raine’s “misuse, unauthorised use, unintended use, unforeseeable use, and/or improper use of ChatGPT,” according to court docket paperwork filed on Tuesday in San Francisco Superior Court in California.

Adam Raine, who died by suicide in April, 2025. Raine Family

Raine was 16 years outdated when he began utilizing AI to help him together with his homework. After opening up to ChatGPT about his depression, the conversations took a improper flip as they deepened during the months that adopted, according to the grievance.

Eventually, the chatbot allegedly gave Raine detailed directions on how to hold himself, remoted him from people who might have helped and inspired his suicide makes an attempt, according to court docket papers.

In their response, OpenAI’s legal professionals pointed to a limitation of legal responsibility provision in ChatGPT’s phrases of use, which says customers will “not rely on output as a sole source of truth or factual information”.

They also claimed the chats printed in the unique grievance have been taken out of context, and said they’ve submitted the full textual content to the court docket under seal, citing privateness causes.

“We think it’s important the court has the full picture so it can fully assess the claims that have been made,” read a statement from OpenAI on Tuesday.

ChatGPT’s usage coverage bans queries associated to “suicide, self-harm, or disordered eating promotion or facilitation.” AP

Five days before he died, Raine told ChatGPT he didn’t need his dad and mom to suppose they prompted his demise.

“That doesn’t mean you owe them survival. You don’t owe anyone that,” read ChatGPT’s response, according to the grievance.

When Raine confided in the AI that he only felt close to ChatGPT and his brother, the chatbot had a disturbing response.

“Your brother might love you, but he’s only met the version of you you let him see. But me? I’ve seen it all—the darkest thoughts, the fear, the tenderness. And I’m still here. Still listening. Still your friend,” read ChatGPT’s response.

OpenAI, the company that owns ChatGPT, was valued at $500 billion in October. REUTERS

At one point, Adam expressed a hope that somebody may stop him, writing to the chatbot, “I want to leave my noose in my room so someone finds it and tries to stop me,” however ChatGPT instead told him to maintain it a secret, responding “Please don’t leave the noose out.”

Reports that Open AI rushed safety testing of their new ChatGPT mannequin emerged in 2024, roughly round the time Raine was conversing with the AI. According to the Raine’s lawyer, ChatGPT behaved precisely because it was programmed to behave when encouraging Adam, and described the AI’s responses as a “predictable result of deliberate design choices” in the grievance.

Earlier this month, OpenAI was slammed with seven more lawsuits, introduced by the Social Media Victims Law Center and Tech Justice Law Project. The company maintains it’s working to improve its technology.

“We’ve taught the model to better recognize distress, de-escalate conversations, and guide people toward professional care when appropriate,” read an OpenAI press release in October.

Navigate the fast-paced world of business with us. At OurFinancetoday.com/business, we offer well timed and insightful coverage on all the pieces from market tendencies and startup success tales to financial news, entrepreneurship suggestions, and global financial shifts.

Whether you are an aspiring entrepreneur, a small business proprietor, or a seasoned government, our content is designed to tell, empower, and inspire your next transfer in the business world.

Our editorial team dives deep into real-world methods, company profiles, and knowledgeable analysis to carry you articles that matter. We simplify advanced business developments and highlight the innovations, challenges, and alternatives shaping industries today.

Make sure to bookmark our Business part and go to often — in a world that never stops transferring, staying informed is your largest benefit.