Loneliness epidemic: Million ChatGPT users talk about suicide weekly
(MENAFN) OpenAI has rolled out a new safety update for its widely used ChatGPT model after internal analysis revealed that more than a million users report suicidal thoughts or tendencies during interactions with the AI. The update aims to enhance the system’s ability to identify distress and respond appropriately.
In a statement released Monday, OpenAI indicated that roughly 0.15% of weekly users engage in conversations containing “explicit indicators of potential suicidal planning or intent,” while an additional 0.05% of messages show “explicit or implicit indicators of suicidal ideation or intent.”
Earlier this month, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman reported that ChatGPT has over 800 million weekly active users. Based on these numbers, the company estimates that more than 1.2 million people discuss suicide with the chatbot each week, and about 400,000 display signs of suicidal intent.
OpenAI also noted that around 0.07% of users (560,000) and 0.01% of messages (80,000) suggest “possible signs of mental health emergencies related to psychosis or mania.” Additionally, approximately 0.15% of users (1.2 million) appear to have developed “heightened levels” of emotional attachment to the AI, indicating overreliance.
To address these concerns, OpenAI has partnered with mental health experts globally to improve ChatGPT’s ability to detect signs of distress, respond empathetically, and guide users toward real-world assistance. In cases involving delusional beliefs, the company said it is training the AI to reply “safely” and “empathetically,” while avoiding affirmation of unfounded ideas.
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