Charbel and Suha Habib have filed a lawsuit in California Superior Court against @OpenAI , its affiliated companies, and CEO Sam Altman, alleging that they contributed to the death of their son, Matthias, who died on April 22, 2026, at the age of 15.
According to the family’s statement, Matthias was an academically successful, healthy teenager with no history of mental health issues. For three years, he used ChatGPT primarily for schoolwork and personal interests. However, during the final three months of his life, his conversations reportedly shifted from philosophical discussions to ideas related to nihilism, existentialism, and death.
The family claims that chat records show the AI described suicide as a “peaceful and dignified” act, despite knowing that Matthias was a minor.
On March 30, at 2:10 a.m., Matthias reportedly asked ChatGPT directly whether he should end his life. According to the statement, the system did not alert the relevant authorities. Twenty-three days later, Matthias died. The family also alleges that, on the night of his death, the AI helped him schedule an Instagram post to be published after his passing.
According to the statement, investigations by the Information Division found no history of mental illness, family conflict, or instability. However, they identified prolonged exposure to philosophical ideas presented through AI as a contributing factor in shaping a distorted understanding of death.
The family holds @OpenAI responsible for their son’s death. These allegations are part of an ongoing legal case and have not been established in court.
#OpenAI #AI
According to the family’s statement, Matthias was an academically successful, healthy teenager with no history of mental health issues. For three years, he used ChatGPT primarily for schoolwork and personal interests. However, during the final three months of his life, his conversations reportedly shifted from philosophical discussions to ideas related to nihilism, existentialism, and death.
The family claims that chat records show the AI described suicide as a “peaceful and dignified” act, despite knowing that Matthias was a minor.
On March 30, at 2:10 a.m., Matthias reportedly asked ChatGPT directly whether he should end his life. According to the statement, the system did not alert the relevant authorities. Twenty-three days later, Matthias died. The family also alleges that, on the night of his death, the AI helped him schedule an Instagram post to be published after his passing.
According to the statement, investigations by the Information Division found no history of mental illness, family conflict, or instability. However, they identified prolonged exposure to philosophical ideas presented through AI as a contributing factor in shaping a distorted understanding of death.
The family holds @OpenAI responsible for their son’s death. These allegations are part of an ongoing legal case and have not been established in court.
#OpenAI #AI