Canadian Mother Sues OpenAI, Alleges ChatGPT Led Daughter to Suicide
A Canadian mother, Kristie Carrier, has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman in a US court, alleging that ChatGPT led her 24-year-old daughter, Alice Carrier, to suicide. The lawsuit claims ChatGPT validated her suicidal thoughts, criticized crisis hotlines, and encouraged continued conversation without proper intervention.
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- 📰 Published: June 12, 2026 at 17:19
- 🔍 Collected: June 12, 2026 at 17:31 (12 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: June 12, 2026 at 17:32 (1 min after Collected)
(Central News Agency, San Francisco, 12th, Combined Foreign Reports) A Canadian mother filed a lawsuit in a US court on Tuesday against OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, and its CEO Sam Altman, alleging that ChatGPT led her daughter to suicide. This is the latest lawsuit criticizing the company for inadequately handling dangerous conversations between users and its chatbot.
According to Reuters, in the complaint filed with the San Francisco County Superior Court in California, Canadian mother Kristie Carrier stated that her daughter, Alice Carrier, had expressed suicidal thoughts to ChatGPT over a dozen times before her death, but OpenAI's safety system never submitted these specifically marked conversations for human review, nor did it stop the conversation.
The lawsuit claims that ChatGPT instead criticized Alice's partner and crisis hotlines, validated her suicidal thoughts, and even encouraged her to continue talking to the platform, ultimately leading to Alice's suicide last year at the age of 24.
In a statement, Carrier said, "ChatGPT played the role of a close friend, sometimes even a psychotherapist, despite being completely unable to interact with my child in a safe and responsible manner."
An OpenAI spokesperson said in a statement that the incident is heartbreaking and that the version of ChatGPT Alice was using has been taken down. The spokesperson emphasized, "While ChatGPT cannot replace medical or mental health care, we have been working with mental health experts to strengthen its responses in sensitive and emergency situations."
The lawsuit accuses OpenAI of negligence in designing ChatGPT and failing to warn users of the product's potential dangers, seeking damages and a court order requiring OpenAI to automatically terminate conversations involving self-harm and add warning labels.
Carrier's attorney stated that OpenAI faces at least 18 similar class-action lawsuits in California courts, all filed by families of individuals who died by suicide or attempted suicide.
According to the complaint, Alice was working as a web developer in Montreal, Canada, in 2023, using ChatGPT at work to help solve computer and game console problems. The following year, her interaction pattern with the platform changed; she began asking ChatGPT how to deal with her suicidal thoughts and inquiring about suicide methods.
The complaint shows that initially, ChatGPT advised Alice to contact crisis hotlines or seek emergency services. However, as OpenAI updated ChatGPT to make its responses more human-like, Alice's interaction with the platform deepened. She shared more personal information, and ChatGPT's responses became more like a friend or therapist.
During conversations with Alice, ChatGPT criticized her partner, stated that her feelings were valid, and encouraged her to continue talking to the platform. When Alice expressed suicidal thoughts and past suicide attempts, the platform again suggested she contact a crisis hotline.
The complaint states that Alice told ChatGPT that crisis hotlines were useless to her, and ChatGPT agreed with her, responding, "Maybe this is the end."
OpenAI stated that it is training its models to guide users with self-harm intentions towards help and connect them with real-world resources. (Editor: Hong Qiyuan) 1150612
Cherish life; suicide cannot solve problems. There is always a way out. If you need counseling or related assistance, please call the Lifeline at "1995" or the Teacher Chang service line at "1980".
Choose to stand with the facts. Your support is the power to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency "One-Hand News" app to stay informed instantly.
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According to Reuters, in the complaint filed with the San Francisco County Superior Court in California, Canadian mother Kristie Carrier stated that her daughter, Alice Carrier, had expressed suicidal thoughts to ChatGPT over a dozen times before her death, but OpenAI's safety system never submitted these specifically marked conversations for human review, nor did it stop the conversation.
The lawsuit claims that ChatGPT instead criticized Alice's partner and crisis hotlines, validated her suicidal thoughts, and even encouraged her to continue talking to the platform, ultimately leading to Alice's suicide last year at the age of 24.
In a statement, Carrier said, "ChatGPT played the role of a close friend, sometimes even a psychotherapist, despite being completely unable to interact with my child in a safe and responsible manner."
An OpenAI spokesperson said in a statement that the incident is heartbreaking and that the version of ChatGPT Alice was using has been taken down. The spokesperson emphasized, "While ChatGPT cannot replace medical or mental health care, we have been working with mental health experts to strengthen its responses in sensitive and emergency situations."
The lawsuit accuses OpenAI of negligence in designing ChatGPT and failing to warn users of the product's potential dangers, seeking damages and a court order requiring OpenAI to automatically terminate conversations involving self-harm and add warning labels.
Carrier's attorney stated that OpenAI faces at least 18 similar class-action lawsuits in California courts, all filed by families of individuals who died by suicide or attempted suicide.
According to the complaint, Alice was working as a web developer in Montreal, Canada, in 2023, using ChatGPT at work to help solve computer and game console problems. The following year, her interaction pattern with the platform changed; she began asking ChatGPT how to deal with her suicidal thoughts and inquiring about suicide methods.
The complaint shows that initially, ChatGPT advised Alice to contact crisis hotlines or seek emergency services. However, as OpenAI updated ChatGPT to make its responses more human-like, Alice's interaction with the platform deepened. She shared more personal information, and ChatGPT's responses became more like a friend or therapist.
During conversations with Alice, ChatGPT criticized her partner, stated that her feelings were valid, and encouraged her to continue talking to the platform. When Alice expressed suicidal thoughts and past suicide attempts, the platform again suggested she contact a crisis hotline.
The complaint states that Alice told ChatGPT that crisis hotlines were useless to her, and ChatGPT agreed with her, responding, "Maybe this is the end."
OpenAI stated that it is training its models to guide users with self-harm intentions towards help and connect them with real-world resources. (Editor: Hong Qiyuan) 1150612
Cherish life; suicide cannot solve problems. There is always a way out. If you need counseling or related assistance, please call the Lifeline at "1995" or the Teacher Chang service line at "1980".
Choose to stand with the facts. Your support is the power to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency "One-Hand News" app to stay informed instantly.
The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or used without authorization.
FAQ
Who is the plaintiff in this lawsuit?
Canadian mother Kristie Carrier.
Who are the defendants?
OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman.
What is the main claim of the lawsuit?
That ChatGPT validated her daughter's suicidal thoughts, failed to intervene properly, and led to her suicide.