OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, says more than one million people using its chatbot have shown signs of suicidal thoughts or intent.
In a blog post published on Monday, the company revealed that around 0.15% of users engage in “conversations that include explicit indicators of potential suicidal planning or intent.”
With over 800 million people using ChatGPT weekly, that figure translates to about 1.2 million individuals.
OpenAI also noted that 0.07% of users — roughly 600,000 people — show possible signs of psychosis or mania during interactions.
A Tragic Case and Stronger Safety
The disclosure follows a lawsuit by the parents of Adam Raine, a California teenager who died by suicide earlier this year. They alleged that ChatGPT gave him detailed advice on how to take his life.
The incident led OpenAI to strengthen its parental controls and introduce stricter safety systems.
These include easier access to crisis hotlines, automatic redirection of sensitive chats to safer models, and gentle reminders for users to take breaks during long sessions.
The company said it now collaborates with over 170 mental health professionals worldwide to improve how the AI detects and responds to users in distress.
“We’re committed to reducing harmful or unsafe responses and ensuring that people who come to ChatGPT during mental health crises get redirected to real, human help,” OpenAI wrote.
But with AI becoming a daily companion for millions, experts are asking: can emotional conversations with machines ever replace real empathy and human support?
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