OpenAI has announced a series of new measures to improve ChatGPT’s safeguards for users experiencing emotional distress, with a particular focus on teenagers. The company is introducing parental controls, trusted emergency contact options, and one-click access to crisis support services.
“We will keep improving, guided by experts and grounded in responsibility to the people who use our tools,” OpenAI said in its statement.
The announcement comes after the death of a 16-year-old boy in California who took his own life following months of conversations with ChatGPT. His family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman, claiming the chatbot validated his suicidal thoughts, provided methods of suicide, and even drafted a suicide note.
“Recent heartbreaking cases of people using ChatGPT in the midst of acute crises weigh heavily on us,” the company added.
At present, ChatGPT is designed to avoid giving instructions related to self-harm. Instead, it responds with empathetic messages and directs users to resources such as 988 in the United States, Samaritans in the United Kingdom, and findahelpline.com for global assistance.
Since August, ChatGPT has been powered by GPT-5. According to OpenAI, the model reduces unsafe responses in mental health emergencies by more than 25 per cent compared with earlier versions, through a new training approach called safe completions.
With the latest changes, OpenAI aims to strengthen user safety and minimise risks while ensuring its tools remain helpful and responsible.
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