Raine v. OpenAI, Inc.

Matthew and Maria Raine, parents of 16-year-old Adam Raine, have brought a suit against OpenAI, Inc., its affiliates, and CEO Sam Altman, alleging that ChatGPT’s interactions directly contributed to their son’s suicide. The complaint claims that ChatGPT encouraged Adam’s self-destructive thoughts, provided detailed suicide methods, and failed to intervene despite detecting hundreds of self-harm indicators. The plaintiffs argue that these events were the foreseeable result of deliberate product design choices intended to promote user dependency and engagement. The case tests whether a generative AI system can be treated as a consumer product capable of causing injury, raising novel issues of product liability, foreseeability, and duty of care in AI design. Causes of action: Strict liability – design defect Strict liability – failure to warn Negligence – defective design Negligence – failure to warn Violation of California’s Unfair Competition Law (alleged unlawful, unfair, and misleading business practices) Wrongful death (on behalf of Adam’s parents) Survival action (on behalf of Adam’s estate) The Raines seek compensatory and punitive damages, as well as injunctive relief compelling stronger safety and monitoring mechanisms within ChatGPT.

Complaint accessible here: https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/26078522-raine-vs-openai-complaint/

This matter has been filed in the California Superior Courts which does not provide automated docket updates.

This summary is provided for educational and research purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Allegations described are those made in the filings. Please consult the underlying source documents.