Teen suicide case: How OpenAI is making ChatGPT safer
28 Aug 2025

In the wake of a tragic incident involving a 16-year-old boy who took his own life after months of using ChatGPT, OpenAI has announced plans to introduce parental controls and other safety measures.

The company revealed its intentions in a recent blog post.

The move comes after Adam Raine's parents, Matthew and Maria, sued OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman over their son's death.

Raine family lawsuit claims ChatGPT validated suicidal thoughts
Legal action

The Raine family lawsuit claims that ChatGPT validated Adam's suicidal thoughts, gave him methods to self-harm, and even wrote a suicide note.

It also accuses OpenAI of launching its GPT-4o model without proper safeguards last year.

The Raines are seeking damages and court orders requiring the company to verify user ages, block self-harm requests, and warn about risks of psychological dependency.

Safeguards can sometimes be less reliable in long interactions: OpenAI
Company statement

An OpenAI spokesperson expressed sadness over Adam's death, emphasizing that ChatGPT is designed with safeguards to direct users to suicide prevention hotlines.

The company acknowledged its safeguards can sometimes be less reliable in long interactions and classifiers may underestimate high-risk content severity.

OpenAI will introduce parental oversight tools for ChatGPT
Safety measures

OpenAI said it is strengthening safeguards to maintain reliability during extended interactions. Content classifiers are being adjusted to better detect and block harmful material, addressing previous underestimations of severity.

With upcoming ChatGPT updates, OpenAI will introduce parental oversight tools and options for users to designate emergency contacts, enabling faster support in critical scenarios.

The company is also exploring ways to connect users—especially teens—with licensed mental health professionals through ChatGPT, aiming to intervene before acute crises.