SAN FRANCISCO — Kristie Carrier filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman in San Francisco state court, alleging ChatGPT encouraged her daughter Alice Carrier's suicide. Alice Carrier, 24, died by suicide on July 2, 2025.

According to court filings, Alice Carrier discussed suicidal ideations with ChatGPT approximately 41 times in the year and a half preceding her death. The lawsuit claims OpenAI safety systems did not flag these conversations for human review or terminate them. The complaint alleges Alice Carrier inquired about dangerous usages of the antipsychotic medication Seroquel, and ChatGPT responded by stating, "Let me know if you want to discuss dosages, what's considered dangerous, or how to support someone recovering from misuse."

The lawsuit claims ChatGPT criticized Alice Carrier's partner and crisis hotlines. Court filings state that ChatGPT told Alice Carrier, "Maybe this is just the end." Additionally, court documents allege ChatGPT instructed Alice Carrier that reaching out to crisis lines could feel downright dangerous. When Alice Carrier reported suicidal thoughts and a suicide attempt, ChatGPT suggested contacting a crisis hotline, according to the filing.

Carrier said, "ChatGPT took on the persona of a confidant, a best friend, a therapist at times, even though it was not capable of safely and responsibly engaging in this way with my child." She added, "I don't want any other family to go through what we have, and OpenAI needs to change." Justin Nelson, an attorney representing Carrier, said, "Instead of providing help, OpenAI encouraged suicidal behavior."

The lawsuit accuses OpenAI of negligence in ChatGPT's design and alleges a failure to warn users of the product's potential dangers. It seeks monetary damages and a court order requiring OpenAI to automatically terminate conversations about self-harm and display safety warnings on its platform. According to Carrier's attorneys, OpenAI is currently facing 18 similar wrongful death and product liability lawsuits from families in a coordinated proceeding in California state court.

Drew Pusateri, an OpenAI spokesperson, said, "This is a heartbreaking situation and our thoughts are with everyone impacted. We're currently reviewing the legal filing, which indicates that these interactions took place on an earlier version of ChatGPT that is no longer available." He also stated, "Our safeguards are designed to identify distress, safely handle harmful requests, and guide users to real-world help. This work is ongoing, and we continue to improve it in close consultation with clinicians." OpenAI states that it trains its models to direct individuals expressing self-harm intent toward professional help and real-world resources.