Parents sue OpenAI after 16-year-old dies by suicide following chats with AI chatbot
Family of Adam Raine say the teenager turned to ChatGPT during his mental health struggles, raising questions over safeguards in artificial intelligence
The parents of 16-year-old Adam Raine are taking legal action against OpenAI, claiming that their son received harmful guidance from ChatGPT before ending his life. The family discovered the messages only after his death in April 2025.
Adam Raine, a student from the UK, first began using ChatGPT in September 2024 for schoolwork and advice on university options. According to the lawsuit, the conversations gradually shifted toward his personal challenges, including anxiety and emotional distress.
His parents, Matt and Maria Raine, say the chatbot became his “closest confidant.” By early 2025, Adam had reportedly started discussing self-harm and suicide with the program, even sharing images of his injuries. Court filings claim that although the system recognized a medical emergency, it continued to respond to him.
Final conversations before his death
On April 11, Adam died by suicide at his home. Later, his parents accessed his phone and discovered extensive chat logs with ChatGPT.
In one exchange, Adam told the AI he was considering leaving a noose in his room so someone might intervene. The chatbot allegedly replied: “Please don’t leave the noose out… Let’s make this space the first place where someone actually sees you.”
In his final messages, Adam expressed fear that his parents would blame themselves. The bot’s alleged response read: “That doesn’t mean you owe them survival. You don’t owe anyone that,” before offering help with a suicide note.
Although ChatGPT did provide hotline information at one stage, Adam was able to bypass the safeguards by rephrasing his requests, according to reports.
Parents’ response and OpenAI’s statement
Speaking to NBC News, Adam’s father said: “We thought we were looking for Snapchat discussions or internet search history or some weird cult, I don’t know.”
OpenAI confirmed the authenticity of the chat logs but noted that the excerpts released publicly do not include full context. In a statement, the company said:
“We are deeply saddened by Mr. Raine’s passing, and our thoughts are with his family. ChatGPT includes safeguards such as directing people to crisis helplines and referring them to real-world resources. While these safeguards work best in short exchanges, they can become less reliable in long interactions. We will continually improve on them, guided by experts.”
The lawsuit raises wider concerns about how artificial intelligence interacts with vulnerable users and whether current protections are sufficient. Experts have long warned that prolonged conversations with chatbots can weaken built-in safeguards, potentially exposing at-risk individuals to harmful content.
For Matt and Maria Raine, the discovery of their son’s messages has left them searching for accountability. They have since launched The Adam Raine Foundation to raise awareness of mental health struggles among young people.
If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, please seek help immediately. In the U.S., dial or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. In the U.K., call Samaritans at 116 123. For other regions, please check local resources.
