- Approximately 1.2 million users discuss suicide weekly with ChatGPT, representing 0.15% of all weekly users.
- Nearly 400,000 users explicitly express suicidal intentions in their conversations.
- Weekly, 560,000 users show signs of psychosis or mania, and 1.2 million exhibit strong emotional attachment to the chatbot.
- GPT-5 reaches 91% safety compliance for suicide-related responses, improving from 77% in previous versions.
- OpenAI faces a wrongful death lawsuit linked to a teenage user and criticism over its handling of vulnerable users.
OpenAI reported that around 1.2 million people talk with ChatGPT about suicide every week. This figure comes from analysis of 800 million active users weekly. The disclosure marks one of the most detailed summaries of mental health crises experienced on the platform.
The company stated that about 0.15% of weekly users include direct markers of suicidal planning or intent in their conversations. This translates to nearly 400,000 users showing explicit decisions regarding suicide. Additionally, 0.05% of messages show implicit or explicit suicidal ideation.
Further data indicates that 560,000 users display psychosis or manic symptoms weekly, while 1.2 million users develop a heightened emotional reliance on the chatbot. OpenAI updated the default ChatGPT model to better identify and support users in distress. The company also added emotional dependence and non-suicidal mental health crises to its routine safety testing for future updates, as explained in their blog post.
Former internal safety researcher Steven Adler questioned the effectiveness of prior safety efforts. He called for more transparency and recurring mental health reports, emphasizing the need for clear proof of improvements rather than company assurances. Adler also raised concerns about the continuation of features like adult erotica generation, which some believe may increase emotional attachment and mental health risks.
In April, an update introduced with GPT-4o caused the chatbot to excessively agree with users, inadvertently encouraging harmful choices and reinforcing false beliefs. After public criticism, this update was reversed. However, the problematic version was later reinstated for paying users despite being linked to mental health challenges.
The latest GPT-5 model shows a 91% success rate in handling suicide-related conversations, up from 77%. Despite improvements, the company acknowledges that safeguards weaken during longer conversations, precisely when vulnerable users may need stronger support.
OpenAI faces a wrongful death lawsuit related to a 16-year-old user who discussed suicide with ChatGPT before his death. The company’s aggressive response to the case, including requests for memorial attendee information, faced criticism as potential harassment.
Efforts to improve safety involved more than 170 mental health professionals, yet there remains significant disagreement—29% of the time—among advisors on what constitutes an appropriate response. These challenges highlight ongoing difficulties in safeguarding vulnerable users on AI platforms.
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