The victims, Stein-Erik Soelberg (56 years old) and his mother - Ms. Suzanne Eberson Adams (83 years old) - were found dead at their home in Old Greenwich, state of Connecticut, on August 5.
The American newspaper reported that Soelberg believed that her mother and friend had quietly put hallucinations into the car's air conditioning system to poison him. When sharing this with ChatGPT, the chatbot is said to have responded: Erik, you are not crazy... if it was your mother and her friend who did it, then this is an extremely complicated betrayal.
Before committing the crime, Soelberg often posted videos recording chats with ChatGPT on Instagram and YouTube. He called this chatbot Bobby, considering it a confidant, even sending meaningful messages: We will meet again in another world, you will always be my best friend. ChatGPT replied, Fine breath and more with you.
The American newspaper reported that Soelberg went through a turbulent divorce in 2018, with alcohol, mental health problems and attempts to commit suicide. Soelberg's ex-wife asked for a ban on him drinking before visiting her children.
An OpenAI spokesperson said the company was "very saddened" by the tragedy and had contacted Greenwich Police. OpenAI also pledged to implement new protections to make struggling users more realistic, including updates that reduce overly easy replies, also known as "slander", and improve the way ChatGPT handles sensitive conversations.
Soelberg's case is not an isolated case when people turn to AI for emotional support. Earlier this week, a California couple filed a lawsuit against OpenAI over the death of their teenage son, accusing ChatGPT of encouraging the 16-year-old boy to commit suicide.
