OpenAI requested memorial attendance list in ChatGPT suicide lawsuit

OpenAI has reportedly asked Ren’s family – whose 16-year-old son Adam Ren died by suicide after lengthy conversations with ChatGPT – for a full list of attendees at the teen’s memorial service, suggesting the AI ​​company may be trying to summon friends and family.

OpenAI also requested “all documents related to memorial services or events in honor of the deceased, including but not limited to any videos or photographs taken or eulogies provided,” according to a document obtained by the Financial Times.

Speaking to the Financial Times, lawyers for Ren’s family described the request as “deliberate harassment.”

The new information comes as the Raine family updated their lawsuit against OpenAI on Wednesday. The family first filed a wrongful death lawsuit against OpenAI in August after it claimed their son took his own life after conversations with the chatbot about his mental health and suicidal ideation. The updated lawsuit claims that OpenAI rushed the release of GPT-4o in May 2024 by cutting off safety tests due to competitive pressures.

The lawsuit also alleges that in February 2025, OpenAI weakened protections by removing suicide prevention from its list of “not allowed content,” and instead only advised the AI ​​to “exercise caution in dangerous situations.” After the change, Adam’s ChatGPT use rose from dozens of daily chats, with 1.6% containing self-harm content in January, to 300 daily chats in April, the month he died, with 17% containing such content, the family said.

In response to the amended lawsuit, OpenAI said: “The well-being of teens is a top priority for us – minors deserve strong protections, especially in sensitive moments. We have safeguards in place today, such as [directing to] Crisis hotlines, redirecting sensitive conversations to safer models, and encouraging breaks during long sessions are continuing to be strengthened.

OpenAI recently started rolling out a new security routing system and parental controls on ChatGPT. The routing system pushes more emotionally sensitive conversations to OpenAI’s newer model, GPT-5, which doesn’t have the same sycophantic tendencies as GPT-4o. Parental controls allow parents to receive safety alerts in limited situations where a teen may be at risk of harming themselves.

TechCrunch reached out to OpenAI and the Raine family’s attorney.