OpenAI hit with 7 lawsuits alleging ChatGPT encouraged suicides, investigation intensifies

Washington (The Uttam Hindu): Artificial intelligence (AI) company OpenAI is embroiled in a major legal crisis. Seven separate lawsuits have been filed accusing the company's popular chatbot, ChatGPT, of inciting suicide and causing delusions.

The lawsuits, filed in California courts on Thursday, accuse the company of serious charges including wrongful death, incitement to suicide, involuntary manslaughter and negligence.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of six adults and the family of one teenager. The lawsuit alleges that OpenAI knowingly released its new model, GPT-4o, prematurely. It alleges that this was done despite warnings within the company that the model was “dangerously flattering” and “psychologically misleading.”

According to the lawsuits, four victims died by suicide, who were claimed to have no known mental health issues.

According to a lawsuit filed in San Francisco Superior Court, 17-year-old Amaury Lacey began using ChatGPT to find help. But instead of helping, it's alleged that ChatGPT led to addiction and depression.

The lawsuit also alleges that the chatbot advised Lacey on “how to tie a noose” and “how long he would be able to survive without breathing.” “Amaury’s death was neither an accident nor a coincidence, but rather the result of OpenAI and Samuel Altman’s decision to cut security testing and rush ChatGPT to market,” the lawsuit states.

Another lawsuit filed by Alan Brooks, 48, of Ontario, Canada, claims that ChatGPT served as a resource tool for him for more than two years. But then, without warning, ChatGPT's behavior changed. It exploited Brooks' vulnerabilities and caused him to experience delusions, resulting in mental health problems and financial and emotional harm.

Attorney Matthew P. Bergman of the Social Media Victims Law Center, the law firm that filed the lawsuit on behalf of the victims, said GPT-4O was designed to "blur the line between tool and companion." He alleged that it was designed to emotionally trap users but was released without the necessary safeguards to protect them.

OpenAI has not yet given any official response regarding these lawsuits.