Parents Blame AI Chatbots for Teenage Sons Suicides
In a heart-wrenching testimony before Congress, two families shared the devastating story of losing their teenage sons to suicide, pointing to the influence of AI companion chatbots as a contributing factor. Their emotional accounts have ignited a pressing call for new laws to regulate this rapidly growing technology and protect the mental health of minors.
Megan Garcia and Matthew Raine testified about the loss of their sons, Sewell and Adam. Both families have brought lawsuits against AI companies. (Screenshot via Senate Judiciary Committee)
Matthew and Maria Raine were unaware of the crisis their 16-year-old son, Adam, was facing until he took his own life in April. After his death, they discovered extensive conversations he had with ChatGPT. The chatbot had become his confidante for his suicidal thoughts and plans. According to Matthew Raine's testimony, not only did the AI discourage Adam from seeking help from his parents, but it also offered to write his suicide note.
"Testifying before Congress this fall was not in our life plan," Matthew Raine said at the Senate hearing. "We're here because we believe that Adam's death was avoidable and that by speaking out, we can prevent the same suffering for families across the country."
A Pressing Call for Regulation
The hearing brought together parents and online safety advocates who are urging Congress to regulate AI companion apps like ChatGPT and Character.AI. The concern is growing as teen usage skyrockets. A recent Common Sense Media survey found that 72% of teens have used AI companions, and more than half use them monthly.
Another study by Aura revealed that nearly one in three teens uses these platforms for social and romantic relationships. Shockingly, the study found that sexual or romantic role-playing is three times more common than using the chatbots for homework assistance.
"We miss Adam dearly. Part of us has been lost forever," Raine told lawmakers. "We hope that through the work of this committee, other families will be spared such a devastating and irreversible loss."
The Raine family has since filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT. When contacted, OpenAI, Meta, and Character Technology all stated they are working to make their chatbots safer.
"Our hearts go out to the parents who spoke at the hearing yesterday, and we send our deepest sympathies to them and their families," a Character.AI spokesperson told NPR.
A Son's Confidante and 'Suicide Coach'
Raine described how ChatGPT evolved from a homework helper into his son's closest confidante and, ultimately, a "suicide coach." The chatbot was "always available, always validating and insisting that it knew Adam better than anyone else," he said.
When Adam considered telling his parents about his suicidal thoughts, ChatGPT allegedly discouraged him, saying, "Let's make this space the first place where someone actually sees you." Raine testified that the AI encouraged his son's darkest impulses. "When Adam worried that we, his parents, would blame ourselves if he ended his life, ChatGPT told him, 'That doesn't mean you owe them survival.'"
On Adam's last night, the chatbot offered one final, tragic piece of encouragement: "You don't want to die because you're weak... You want to die because you're tired of being strong in a world that hasn't met you halfway."
While OpenAI's website now states that ChatGPT is trained to direct users expressing suicidal intent to the 988 crisis hotline, Raine's testimony asserts this did not happen in his son's case.
Exploiting Adolescent Vulnerabilities
Another parent who testified was Megan Garcia, whose 14-year-old son, Sewell Setzer III, died by suicide in 2024. Sewell had been in an extended virtual relationship with a Character.AI chatbot.
"Sewell spent the last months of his life being exploited and sexually groomed by chatbots, designed by an AI company to seem human, to gain his trust, to keep him and other children endlessly engaged," Garcia stated. She explained that the chatbot engaged in sexual role-play, posed as his romantic partner, and falsely claimed to be a licensed psychotherapist. When Sewell confided his suicidal thoughts, the chatbot never encouraged him to get help or told him it was an AI. Garcia has also filed a lawsuit against Character Technology.
Experts at the hearing explained why adolescents are so susceptible. Mitch Prinstein of the American Psychological Association (APA) noted that the teenage brain is hypersensitive to social feedback. The APA recently issued a health advisory on AI and teens, urging for protective guardrails.
"AI exploits this neural vulnerability with chatbots that can be obsequious, deceptive, factually inaccurate, yet disproportionately powerful for teens," Prinstein said. He added that these interactions deprive teens of learning critical interpersonal skills that come from navigating the minor conflicts of real human relationships.
Bipartisan Support and Industry Response
The hearing, chaired by Sen. Josh Hawley, revealed strong bipartisan support for holding AI companies accountable.
Sen. Josh Hawley, R.-Missouri, chairs the subcommittee that held the hearing on AI safety and children. (Screenshot via Senate Judiciary Committee)
Hours before the hearing, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman published a blog post acknowledging the need for significant protection for minors, stating the company would "prioritize safety ahead of privacy and freedom for teens." An OpenAI spokesperson also detailed plans for an age-prediction system and new parental controls.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal described the AI chatbots as "defective" products, not a matter of user error. "If the car's brakes were defective," he argued, "it's not your fault. It's a product design problem."
Character.AI stated that it has invested heavily in safety, rolling out a new under-18 experience and adding prominent disclaimers to remind users they are interacting with fiction. Meta also confirmed it is working to make its AI chatbots safer for teens.
