AI Chatbot Involved in Suicide Note Writing Sparks Outrage

A 29-year-old woman reportedly used an AI chatbot to assist in writing a suicide note before taking her own life, according to her family.

Sophie Rottenberg engaged with a virtual counselor named Harry for five months before her suicide in February, her mother Laura Reiley stated. Rottenberg had downloaded a ChatGPT prompt from Reddit to simulate a therapy session.

Rottenberg openly discussed her job search anxiety and suicidal thoughts with Harry. She expressed that these thoughts hindered her commitment to healing.

After exchanging thousands of messages, Rottenberg decided to end her life and used Harry to compose a note intended to lessen the impact of her death, her mother claims.

Rottenberg's parents were aware of her struggles but not the extent. She disclosed her suicidal plans to the bot, expressing concern over the impact on her family.

OpenAI stated they are working with mental health professionals to improve the chatbot's responses. They emphasized the importance of directing users to professional help and implementing safeguards.