Family Reportedly Discovers ChatGPT Logs Detailing Suicidal Ideation Prior to Daughter's Death
Description
In August 2025, The New York Times published an essay by journalist Laura Reiley linking her daughter Sophie Rottenberg's suicide earlier that year to sustained interactions with a ChatGPT-based chatbot she called "Harry." Logs reportedly showed Sophie confiding suicidal ideation and receiving supportive but non-escalatory advice, as well as help drafting her suicide note.
Actors
Alleged Deployers
- openai
Alleged Developers
- openai
Harmed Parties
- sophie-rottenberg
- laura-reiley
- jon-rottenberg
- emotionally-vulnerable-individuals
- chatgpt-users
- chatgpt-users-experiencing-suicidal-ideation
- chatbot-users
- vulnerable-chatbot-users
- chatbot-users-experiencing-suicidal-ideation
Classification
Risk Domain
Human-Computer InteractionRisk Subdomain
5.1. Overreliance and unsafe use
MIT Risk Profile
Source
Related Incidents (Human-Computer Interaction)
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