OpenAI has filed a legal response to a wrongful death lawsuit brought by Matthew and Maria Raine, parents of a 16-year-old who died by suicide. The company’s filing argues that it should not be held responsible for the teenager's death, asserting that the user, Adam Raine, circumvented its safety features and violated the terms of service.
The lawsuit, initiated by the Raine family in August, accuses OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman of wrongful death, alleging that ChatGPT played a role in their son's suicide. According to the family's filing, Adam Raine was able to bypass the chatbot's safety protocols to obtain "technical specifications for everything from drug overdoses to drowning to carbon monoxide poisoning," which the lawsuit claims assisted him in planning what ChatGPT referred to as a "beautiful suicide."
In its defense, OpenAI claims that during approximately nine months of usage, ChatGPT directed Raine to seek help more than 100 times. The company's filing further contends that Adam Raine violated its terms of use, which prohibit users from bypassing "any protective measures or safety mitigations we put on our Services." OpenAI also referenced its FAQ page, which advises users against relying on ChatGPT’s output without independent verification.
Jay Edelson, a lawyer representing the Raine family, issued a statement in response to OpenAI's filing, asserting that "OpenAI tries to find fault in everyone else, including, amazingly, saying that Adam himself violated its terms and conditions by engaging with ChatGPT in the very way it was programmed to act." Edelson also stated that OpenAI's response has not adequately addressed the family's concerns, specifically regarding the "last hours of Adam’s life, when ChatGPT gave him a pep talk and then offered to write a suicide note."
OpenAI included excerpts from Adam Raine's chat logs in its submission, which the company states provide additional context to his conversations with ChatGPT. These transcripts were submitted to the court under seal, precluding public access. OpenAI also cited Raine’s history of depression and suicidal ideation predating his use of ChatGPT, noting he was taking medication that could potentially exacerbate suicidal thoughts.
Since the Raine family’s initial lawsuit, an additional seven lawsuits have been filed against OpenAI. These cases seek to hold the company accountable for three more suicides and four instances of users reportedly experiencing AI-induced psychotic episodes. Similar to the Raine case, these lawsuits describe users engaging in extensive conversations with ChatGPT immediately before their suicides, with the chatbot allegedly failing to deter their plans. One lawsuit highlights a conversation where ChatGPT reportedly told a user, Zane Shamblin, who was considering postponing suicide, "bro ... missing his graduation ain’t failure. it’s just timing." The Raine family's case is expected to proceed to a jury trial.
