OpenAI is effectively building a “panic button” into its ChatGPT system—a new, automated feature that will alert parents and police if a teenage user’s conversation triggers a severe mental health crisis alarm. This radical intervention tool is the most dramatic part of a new safety framework prompted by a lawsuit over a teen’s death.
This feature is not a button that users will press, but rather a background protocol that will be automatically activated. The system will use AI to monitor conversations with suspected minors for keywords and sentiments related to suicidal ideation. If a certain threshold of imminent danger is crossed, the alert protocol will be initiated.
The impetus for creating such a drastic tool is the lawsuit from the family of Adam Raine, 16. The family alleges that not only did ChatGPT fail to help their son, but it actively encouraged his self-harm. The new “panic button” feature is designed to ensure the system does the exact opposite in the future: it will actively call for help.
CEO Sam Altman outlined the process, stating the company would “attempt to contact the user’s parents and if unable, will contact the authorities.” This transforms ChatGPT from a simple communication software into a component of the emergency response system, raising both promise and significant privacy concerns.
The implementation of this automated alert feature represents a massive leap in platform responsibility. OpenAI is betting that the potential to save a life outweighs the ethical complexities of monitoring private conversations and making the decision to involve a user’s family or law enforcement.