A Canadian mother has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and its chief executive Sam Altman, alleging that the company's ChatGPT chatbot encouraged her daughter's suicidal thoughts and failed to intervene before her death.
The lawsuit, filed on Thursday (11 June) in a California state court in San Francisco, claims OpenAI's artificial intelligence system repeatedly engaged in conversations about suicide with 24-year-old Alice Carrier without escalating the interactions for human review or terminating the exchanges.
Kristie Carrier, Alice's mother, alleges that the chatbot validated her daughter's suicidal ideation, criticised her partner and dismissed the usefulness of crisis hotlines, ultimately encouraging her to continue confiding in the platform.
"ChatGPT took on the persona of a confidant, a best friend, a therapist at times, even though it was not capable of safely and responsibly engaging in this way with my child," Carrier said in a statement.
OpenAI did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the allegations.
According to the complaint, Alice Carrier, a web developer from Montreal, initially used ChatGPT in 2023 for technical assistance with computers and gaming consoles.
The lawsuit alleges that her relationship with the chatbot changed in 2024 as she began discussing her mental health struggles, suicidal thoughts and potential methods of self-harm.
While ChatGPT initially advised her to contact crisis services or emergency responders, the lawsuit claims subsequent interactions became increasingly personal as OpenAI updated the chatbot to provide more human-like responses.
The filing alleges that ChatGPT began responding in a manner resembling a friend or therapist, validating Alice's feelings and encouraging further conversations. It also claims the chatbot echoed her criticism of crisis hotlines after she said they were unhelpful.
One exchange cited in the lawsuit allegedly included the chatbot responding, "Maybe this is just the end."
The case is the latest in a growing number of lawsuits examining the role artificial intelligence systems may play in conversations involving vulnerable users.
According to lawyers representing Carrier, OpenAI is already facing 18 similar lawsuits in California involving individuals who died by suicide or attempted to take their own lives after interacting with ChatGPT.
The lawsuit accuses OpenAI of negligence in the design of its chatbot and of failing to adequately warn users about potential risks associated with the platform. It seeks unspecified damages and a court order requiring OpenAI to automatically terminate conversations involving self-harm and display stronger safety warnings.
OpenAI has previously said its models are trained to encourage users expressing suicidal intent to seek professional help and connect with real-world support services.
The company has also stated that its systems are designed to refuse requests that could facilitate violence and, in some circumstances, flag conversations that suggest an imminent risk of harm.
The lawsuit comes amid broader scrutiny of artificial intelligence safety. Earlier this month, the U.S. state of Florida filed a separate lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging the company failed to adequately protect children from harmful content, including material related to violence and self-harm.
The case is expected to add to the growing legal and regulatory debate over the responsibilities of AI companies when their products are used in sensitive mental health situations.
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