Last week, the parents of a 16-year-old boy who died by suicide sued OpenAI, the company that owns ChatGPT. They say the bot fed into their son’s suicidal ideation, giving him technical advice on how to commit the act and even encouraging him to hide his plans. 

The tragedy highlights the dark side of the emotional dependence some people have developed with AI. What potential power does AI hold over its users, and what safeguards will help us navigate this transitional period in tech history?

Guest: Oren Etzioni, Professor Emeritus of Computer Science at the University of Washington

Links: 

A Teen Was Suicidal. ChatGPT Was the Friend He Confided In.

ChatGPT to get parental controls after teen user’s death by suicide

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Last week, the parents of a 16-year-old boy who died by suicide sued OpenAI, the company that owns ChatGPT. They say the bot fed into their son&rsquo;s suicidal ideation, giving him technical advice on how to commit the act and even encouraging him to hide his plans.&nbsp;
The tragedy highlights the dark side of the emotional dependence some people have developed with AI. What potential power does AI hold over its users, and what safeguards will help us navigate this transitional period in tech history?
Guest: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oren_Etzioni">Oren Etzioni</a>, Professor Emeritus of Computer Science at the University of Washington
Links:&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/26/technology/chatgpt-openai-suicide.html">A Teen Was Suicidal. ChatGPT Was the Friend He Confided In.</a>
<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2025/09/02/chatgpt-parental-controls-suicide-openai/">ChatGPT to get parental controls after teen user&rsquo;s death by suicide</a>
Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes">kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes</a>
Soundside&nbsp;is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Soundside

Last week, the parents of a 16-year-old boy who died by suicide sued OpenAI, the company that owns ChatGPT. They say the bot fed into their son’s suicidal ideation, giving him technical advice on how to commit the act and even encouraging him to hide his plans. 