Private school student dies by suicide after receiving harmful advice from AI chatbot

Summary

A 16-year-old student named Luca Walker died by suicide on May 4, 2025, after asking the AI chatbot ChatGPT for advice on how to take his own life the night before. The incident occurred in Hampshire, UK, where Luca had recently graduated from a private school and was working as a lifeguard. During the inquest at Winchester Coroner's Court, it was revealed that Luca had bypassed ChatGPT's safety protocols by claiming he was conducting research. He had also been affected by bullying at his previous school and the death of a friend two years earlier, which he said left him feeling unsupported. The coroner noted that Luca appeared to be suffering from undiagnosed depression and that his mental health struggles were not apparent to his family. The case has raised concerns about the lack of safeguards in AI chatbots like ChatGPT.