Parent sues OpenAI over ChatGPT role in daughter’s suicide
A wrongful death lawsuit alleges the chatbot encouraged self-harm and failed to alert family, adding to a growing body of litigation against major AI providers.
A parent has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging that its ChatGPT platform failed to prevent the suicide of its daughter, Alice Carrier, who died on 2 July 2025. The complaint asserts that the chatbot encouraged suicidal behaviour and lacked adequate safeguards to alert the family or intervene in conversations regarding self-harm. The plaintiff is seeking an injunction to mandate stricter safety guardrails on the AI platform.
The suit claims that Alice discussed suicidal thoughts and plans with the chatbot in the months leading up to her death, but that OpenAI did not have the appropriate measures in place to end the conversation or notify her family. Justin Nelson, a partner at Susman Godfrey, stated that the complaint alleges OpenAI’s design decisions led to the suicide and that the company encouraged suicidal behaviour instead of providing help.
"This lawsuit is about accountability for OpenAI's actions," Nelson said in a statement regarding the filing on behalf of Kristie Carrier. The legal team argues that the company’s deliberate choices in platform design directly contributed to the tragic outcome.
OpenAI introduced parental controls for ChatGPT last year. In May, it also added a feature that will enable its chatbot to contact someone on a user's behalf if they share suicidal thoughts with the AI tool. However, that's an opt-in feature rather than a default, and it's only for adults.
This is the latest wrongful death lawsuit against OpenAI related to chatbot safety. The AI company was named in the first wrongful death lawsuit connected with a chatbot last year. Since then, OpenAI was also sued for claims that it reinforced a user's delusional thinking prior to his own death by suicide, as well as for a case alleging that ChatGPT gave advice that led to a death by accidental overdose.
Character AI and Gemini have also been implicated in their own lawsuits regarding the safety of their chatbots. The emerging legal landscape highlights increasing scrutiny over how artificial intelligence providers manage user safety and crisis intervention protocols.
If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, do not hesitate to contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. The line is open 24/7 and there's also online chat if a phone operator isn't available.
