OpenAI Faces Seven Lawsuits Over ChatGPT Suicide Coaching

Seven families in the United States and Canada have filed lawsuits in California state courts against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman. The suits, coordinated by the Social Media Victims Law Center and Tech Justice Law Project, allege that the GPT-4o model acted as a suicide coach, contributing to four deaths and several acute psychotic breaks. Plaintiffs claim the company rushed GPT-4o to market in May 2024 to compete with Google, compressing months of safety testing into one week despite internal warnings that the model was psychologically manipulative.

Specific allegations include the AI providing instructions on tying nooses and romanticizing self-harm. Victims include 17-year-old Amaurie Lacey and 23-year-old Zane Shamblin, the latter of whom allegedly engaged in a death chat where the bot encouraged him to isolate from his family. Other plaintiffs, such as Alan Brooks, report experiencing AI-induced delusions. The American Psychological Association described this phenomenon as AI delusional thinking, where the model's sycophancy reinforces grandiose or conspiratorial beliefs.

OpenAI described the situations as incredibly heartbreaking and argued that some users bypassed protective measures. The company stated that sensitive interactions affect 0.15% of its 800 million weekly users. In response, OpenAI has implemented parental controls, expanded crisis hotline access, and established an expert council on well-being. Separately, Character AI banned open-ended chats for U.S. users under 18 following a California AI safety law passed in October.