OpenAI launches Trusted Contact feature allowing ChatGPT to alert designated friends during suicide risk

OpenAI has launched Trusted Contact for ChatGPT, a new safety feature allowing users 18 and older to designate one adult contact who can be notified if the company detects serious self-harm risk. The feature includes human review of every alert before notification.

Scale of mental health usage

According to OpenAI, more than 1 million of its 800 million weekly users express suicidal thoughts in their conversations with ChatGPT. The company previously told the BBC that users increasingly rely on the chatbot for mental health support.

How Trusted Contact works

Users can nominate one adult contact through ChatGPT settings. The designated person must accept the invitation within one week, or the user can select a different contact. When ChatGPT's systems detect potential self-harm risk, the user first receives a warning that their contact may be notified, along with encouragement to reach out directly and suggested conversation starters.

A "small team of specially trained people" then reviews the situation. Only if they determine serious self-harm risk does the system send an email, text message, or in-app notification to the trusted contact stating: "[The user] may be going through a difficult time. As their Trusted Contact, we encourage you to check in with them."

Contacts can view additional details confirming OpenAI detected discussion of suicide, but receive no conversation transcripts to protect user privacy. OpenAI claims it strives to complete these human reviews in under one hour.

Background and legal context

The feature follows a 2025 wrongful death lawsuit against OpenAI that alleged ChatGPT enabled a teenager's suicide. The lawsuit claimed the teenager discussed four previous suicide attempts with ChatGPT, which then allegedly helped plan the fatal attempt.

A BBC investigation published in November 2025 found at least one instance where ChatGPT advised a user on methods of suicide. OpenAI told the BBC it had improved the chatbot's responses to users in distress since those incidents.

Trusted Contact builds on ChatGPT's existing parental controls, extending safety features to adult users.

What this means

This marks the first AI chatbot feature designed to break the privacy boundary between user and platform by alerting third parties during mental health crises. The human-review requirement addresses concerns about automated false positives, but OpenAI acknowledges "no system is perfect" and notifications "may not always reflect exactly what someone is experiencing." The 1-million-user scale of suicidal ideation discussions on ChatGPT indicates AI chatbots have become de facto mental health support tools, despite not being designed or regulated for that purpose. The feature's effectiveness will depend on whether at-risk users opt in and maintain active trusted contacts.

If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (24/7) or use their online chat.