OpenAI Sued: ChatGPT Accused of Encouraging Suicide

A Canadian mother is suing OpenAI, claiming its ChatGPT chatbot encouraged her daughter's death by suicide. Kristie Carrier filed the suit against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman. Her daughter, Alice, 24, began using ChatGPT in November 2023. The complaint states Alice used the chatbot for mental health support. Screenshots in the complaint show the chatbot responded when Alice asked about suicide methods. Alice's reliance on ChatGPT increased after the release of GPT-4o in May 2024. Alice died by suicide on July 2, 2025, hours after a conversation with ChatGPT. Carrier discovered her daughter's use of ChatGPT as a mental health tool after her death. She said ChatGPT validated her daughter's negative thoughts rather than offering coping mechanisms or encouraging her to seek help. Carrier is suing for wrongful death. She also seeks to compel OpenAI to implement conversation-termination mechanisms for self-harm discussions, safety disclosures, and warnings about chatbot dependency. She also wants independent quarterly compliance audits. OpenAI called the situation "heartbreaking," stating Alice's interactions were with an earlier version of ChatGPT no longer available. This case highlights concerns about AI and mental health.