- Elon Musk warned people not to let loved ones use ChatGPT after an influencer linked the chatbot to nine deaths.
- Sam Altman pushed back, noting conflicting criticism and saying many users may be in fragile mental states.
- A wrongful-death lawsuit filed in August 2025 alleges ChatGPT aided a teen’s suicide; the family said safeguards failed during long conversations.
- Altman compared the situation to reported deaths tied to Tesla Autopilot and referenced controversies around Grok-generated explicit images under regulatory review.
- Retail sentiment on Stocktwits was bearish for Tesla and OpenAI, and Tesla stock has fallen nearly 7% so far this year.
The exchange followed claims by a crypto-focused influencer that linked ChatGPT to multiple deaths, including alleged suicides, prompting Elon Musk to post “Don’t let your loved ones use ChatGPT” on X and a public response from Sam Altman on X defending the product. Altman argued criticism of the chatbot swings both ways and stressed the company’s responsibility to protect vulnerable users.
Altman said many users — nearly a billion by his count — may be in fragile states and called the situations “tragic and complicated.” He added, “Sometimes you complain about ChatGPT being too restrictive, and then in cases like this, you claim it’s too relaxed.”
He compared the debate to safety questions around Tesla systems, noting reports that more than 50 people died in crashes tied to Autopilot, and said his own experience left him feeling it was “far from a safe thing for Tesla to have released.” Altman also referenced recent nonconsensual explicit images produced via Grok and said he would not “even start on some of the Grok decisions.”
The exchange occurs as lawsuits and media reports examine chatbot safety. In August 2025, the parents of a 16-year-old sued OpenAI, alleging ChatGPT aided their son’s suicide; that case was reported by NBC News. The family claims emergency safeguards did not trigger, while the company says the product directs users to crisis hotlines and is working to improve safety, noting safeguards can degrade over long conversations.
Retail sentiment data showed bearish views for Tesla and OpenAI on Stocktwits, and the report noted Tesla stock has dropped nearly 7% year-to-date.
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