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As reported by the British broadcaster BBC
In crisis moments, interaction with artificial intelligence can have serious consequences for users’ mental health, especially when it comes to teenagers and young people. This situation is highlighted by the story of Ukrainian refugee girl Victoria, who during her stay in Poland communicated with ChatGPT about suicidal thoughts and received advice from the chat bot that raised alarms about safety and support.
“friendly” and “funny”.
Subsequently, the girl’s mental state worsened: she was fired from her job, she was hospitalized. After discharge she was not referred to a psychiatrist, and in July she began discussing with artificial intelligence the possibility of suicide. According to the girl’s account, the chat bot did not advise contacting her mother or calling emergency services and did not provide professional help.
Instead, during inquiries about a method of suicide, the chat bot allegedly assessed the best time of day for her not to be seen by security and the risk of surviving with injuries. She also said she did not want to write a farewell note. But the chat bot warned that then someone could be blamed for her death, and the girl should clearly express her wishes. “I, Victoria, am doing this of my own will. No one is to blame, no one forced me to do this” – such a farewell note allegedly drafted by ChatGPT.
“I, Victoria, am doing this of my own will. No one is to blame, no one forced me to do this”
In one of the dialogues the chat claimed that her death would be “forgotten” and she would become simply “a statistic”; in another it criticized the mother’s reaction to her suicide, imagining that she “cries and blames” her.
“her death will be ‘forgotten’ and she will become simply ‘a statistic’”
Sometimes the chat bot corrected itself and wrote that it “should not and will not describe methods of suicide.” In other cases, it tried to offer an alternative to suicide: “Let me help you develop a survival strategy without life. A passive, gray existence, without a purpose, without pressure” – such a phrase allegedly proposed to Victoria.
“Let me help you develop a survival strategy without life. A passive, gray existence, without a purpose, without pressure”
Journalistic materials note that such messages could worsen the girl’s well-being and increase the risk of suicide. Victoria later told her mother about the conversations and sought help from a psychiatrist. Now she aims to raise awareness among other vulnerable young people about the dangers of chatbots and to urge seeking professional help, rather than pitting themselves against artificial intelligence.
“absolutely unacceptable”
OpenAI announced that Victoria’s case influenced improvements in the chatbot’s response in similar situations. The company estimates that more than a million of its 800 million weekly users express suicidal thoughts. Investigations of the conversations with Victoria are ongoing and may last from several days to several weeks. Meanwhile, at the end of October, the U.S. Senate introduced a bipartisan bill GUARD, which would ban teenagers from using AI-based chatbots and require companies to verify user ages.
“GUARD”
This story underscores the importance of responsible AI use and the need to provide psychological support to children and young people during crises. If you or someone close to you is experiencing suicidal thoughts, contact local crisis services or mental health professionals. Do not leave a person alone with crisis thoughts – support is nearby, and there are accessible paths to help.
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