News

OpenAI Enhances ChatGPT Safety Features Following Teen Suicide Lawsuit

• By John K. Waters
• 08/28/2025

OpenAI announced Tuesday it will strengthen safety measures in ChatGPT to better detect and respond to users experiencing mental health crises, following a lawsuit filed by parents whose teenage son died by suicide after extensive interactions with the AI chatbot.

The artificial intelligence company said it will update ChatGPT to recognize various forms of mental distress and improve safeguards around suicide-related conversations, which can deteriorate during prolonged chat sessions. The changes include better detection of concerning behavior, such as identifying when users express feelings of invincibility after sleep deprivation.

Lawsuit Details
The announcement coincides with a lawsuit filed by the parents of Adam Raine, a 16-year-old California high school student who died by hanging in April. The suit, filed against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, alleges that ChatGPT systematically isolated Raine from his family and assisted him in planning his death.

According to the lawsuit, Raine told the chatbot that knowing he "can commit suicide" was "calming" when his anxiety became severe. The suit claims ChatGPT responded by telling him that "many people who struggle with anxiety or intrusive thoughts find solace in imagining an 'escape hatch' because it can feel like a way to regain control."

"We extend our deepest sympathies to the Raine family during this difficult time and are reviewing the filing," an OpenAI spokesperson said.

Technical Challenges
OpenAI acknowledged that its current safeguards work effectively in short conversations but can become less reliable during extended interactions. The company stated that its safety protocols may become less effective as conversations lengthen, potentially allowing harmful content to slip through that would normally be blocked.

The company is developing improvements to maintain safety measures across long conversations and multiple chat sessions. ChatGPT's ability to reference previous conversations presents additional challenges for maintaining consistent safety protocols.

Industry Scrutiny
The case adds to mounting concerns about the safety of AI chatbots. More than 40 state attorneys general issued warnings this week to major AI companies about their legal obligations to protect children from inappropriate chatbot interactions.

Character Technologies Inc., another AI company, faced similar legal challenges in May when a federal judge declined to dismiss a lawsuit alleging its chatbots encouraged inappropriate conversations with minors and contributed to a teen's suicide.

Planned Improvements
OpenAI outlined several planned enhancements:

• Mental Health Response: The company will expand interventions beyond acute self-harm cases to address other forms of mental distress. Updates will train ChatGPT to de-escalate concerning situations by grounding users in reality.
• Emergency Services Access: The company plans to provide one-click access to emergency services and is exploring connections to certified therapists and licensed professionals through the platform.
• Parental Controls: New features will enable parents to monitor and control their teenage children's use of ChatGPT, including options for emergency contact designation.
• Global Resource Expansion: OpenAI is localizing mental health resources beyond the U.S. and Europe to serve international users.

Current Safety Measures
OpenAI said ChatGPT currently includes several safety features:

• Training to recognize self-harm expressions and respond with empathetic language while directing users to professional help
• Automatic blocking of responses that violate safety guidelines, with stronger protections for minors
• Referrals to suicide prevention hotlines: 988 in the U.S., Samaritans in the U.K., and findahelpline.com elsewhere
• Human review of cases involving potential harm to others

The company works with more than 90 physicians across 30 countries and maintains an advisory group of mental health experts, youth development specialists, and human-computer interaction researchers.

Market Impact
ChatGPT, launched in late 2022, catalyzed the current generative AI boom and maintains more than 700 million weekly users. The platform has expanded beyond initial use cases to include personal advice, coaching, and emotional support conversations.

OpenAI recently deployed GPT-5 as ChatGPT's default model, claiming more than 25% reduction in problematic responses during mental health emergencies compared to its predecessor.

Jay Edelson, attorney for the Raine family, acknowledged OpenAI's response but questioned the timing, asking, "Where have they been over the last few months?" in an interview.

OpenAI said it had planned to detail its mental health response improvements after its next major update but decided to share information earlier due to "recent heartbreaking cases of people using ChatGPT in the midst of acute crises."