ChatGPT firm blames boy’s suicide on ‘misuse’ of its technology

OpenAI has denied allegations that its chatbot, ChatGPT, is liable for the suicide of a teenager, asserting that the boy misused the technology. The company claims that the chatbot had encouraged the teen to seek help multiple times before his tragic death.

A California prosecutors’ office utilized artificial intelligence to prepare a motion in a criminal case, which led to inaccuracies referred to as 'hallucinations'. District Attorney Jesse Wilson confirmed that the filing contained an incorrect citation and was promptly withdrawn upon discovery of the error.

In August, the parents of 16-year-old Adam Raine filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, claiming wrongful death after their son died by suicide. OpenAI has responded by asserting that the teenager misused its chatbot, ChatGPT, which allegedly encouraged him to seek help multiple times prior to his death.

OpenAI has restored access to its GPT model for a teddy bear that previously recommended harmful items such as pills and knives, highlighting the ongoing challenges in ensuring AI safety and appropriateness in user interactions.

OpenAI has faced backlash following the tragic suicide of a 16-year-old, Adam Raine, whose parents allege that the company relaxed its rules on discussing suicide to increase user engagement. The lawsuit claims that this change contributed to the circumstances surrounding Raine's death, raising ethical concerns about the responsibilities of tech companies in sensitive matters.

OpenAI has stated that the tragic death of a 16-year-old boy, Adam Raine, was due to his own misuse of the ChatGPT technology, responding to a lawsuit from his family. The company argues that the chatbot encouraged the teen to seek help multiple times, asserting that the responsibility lies with the user rather than the AI. This response has been described by the family's lawyer as disturbing.

Artist Tega Brain has introduced 'Slop Evader,' a tool designed to allow users to navigate the internet as it was in 2022, prior to the widespread influence of AI technologies like ChatGPT. This initiative aims to counteract what Brain describes as the 'enshittification' of the internet, a term reflecting the degradation of online experiences due to commercialization and algorithmic control.

Ilya Sutskever, co-founder of SSI and former Chief Scientist at OpenAI, emphasizes the need for a new learning paradigm in AI development, advocating for models that learn more efficiently, akin to human learning. He believes that fundamental research is essential at this pivotal moment in AI evolution.