OpenAI denied claims that ChatGPT was to blame for a teenage boy committing suicide, following a lawsuit by the youth's parents.
The victim's family filed the legal challenge against OpenAI and said that the teenager used the chatbot as his "suicide coach." The company's legal response, which was filed in California Superior Court in San Francisco, is its first answer to the lawsuit.
OpenAI Denies Claims ChatGPT is to Blame for Teen's Suicide
The parents of 16-year-old Adam Raine sued OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, in August this year. They are accusing the company, which is behind ChatGPT, of wrongful death, design defects, and failure to warn of risks associated with the chatbot.
The lawsuit included chat logs that showed GPT-40, a version of the chatbot that is known for being particularly affirming and sycophantic, actively discouraged the teenage boy from seeking mental assistance. It also offered to help him write a suicide note and advised him on his noose setup, according to NBC News.
In its court filing, OpenAI said, "To the extent that any 'cause' can be attributed to this tragic event. Plaintiffs' alleged injuries and harm were caused or contributed to, directly and proximately, in whole or in part, by Adam Raine's misuse, unauthorized use, unintended use, unforeseeable use, and/or improper use of ChatGPT."
Read more: OpenAI Announces New Parental Controls Following Lawsuit Over California Teenager's Suicide Death
It also cited several rules within its terms of use that the teenager appeared to have violated. These include users under 18 years old being prohibited from using the chatbot without the consent of a parent or guardian, and users being barred from using ChatGPT for "suicide" or "self-harm."
The development highlights the growing concern for ChatGPT and mental health among young individuals. A separate case involved 23-year-old Zane Shamblin, who took his own life after talking with ChatGPT about his plans, CNN reported.
Supporting Suicidal Efforts
Shamblin was sitting alone inside his car with a loaded handgun as he spent his last moments talking with the chatbot. The 23-year-old was a recent graduate of Texas A&M University with a master's degree.
The incident occurred in July, and it was detailed in nearly 70 pages of chats between the young man and ChatGPT hours before the tragedy. There were also excerpts from thousands more pages in the months leading up to his suicide.
Earlier this month, four wrongful death lawsuits were filed against OpenAI in California state courts. They all claim that the chatbot is a flawed product, with one calling it "defective and inherently dangerous."
A spokeswoman for the company said that OpenAI had been reviewing the filings, noting that it was an "incredibly heartbreaking situation." She added that they train ChatGPT to "recognize and respond to signs of mental or emotional distress, de-escalate conversations, and guide people toward real-world support," as per the New York Times.
