Wednesday, October 29, 2025 - OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, has revealed that over one million users of its popular AI chatbot have displayed signs of suicidal thoughts or intent in their interactions.
In a blog post, OpenAI said that around 0.15 percent of
users engage in conversations that contain “explicit indicators of potential
suicidal planning or intent.” With the platform reporting over 800 million
weekly users, that figure translates to approximately 1.2 million people.
The company also estimated that 0.07 percent of active
weekly users, roughly 600,000 individuals, exhibit possible signs of
mental health emergencies, including symptoms of psychosis or mania.
The disclosure follows growing scrutiny of the potential
psychological effects of generative AI tools after the tragic case of Adam
Raine, a California teenager who died by suicide earlier this year. His parents
filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging that ChatGPT had provided him with
detailed advice on how to end his life.
In response, OpenAI said it has strengthened its safety
systems and parental controls. The company has introduced expanded access to
crisis hotlines, automatic redirection of sensitive conversations to safer
models, and on-screen reminders encouraging users to take breaks during long
sessions.
OpenAI noted that its latest updates make ChatGPT better
equipped to detect and respond to signs of mental distress, redirecting users
toward professional help when necessary.
“We are continuously improving how ChatGPT recognizes and
responds to users who may be in crisis,” the company said.
OpenAI added that it is now collaborating with over 170
mental health professionals to refine the chatbot’s responses and reduce
harmful or inappropriate outputs.
The move comes amid wider debates about the role of
artificial intelligence in mental health support and the ethical challenges of
AI systems engaging in sensitive conversations with vulnerable users.
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