Married father kills himself after speaking to an AI chatbot about climate change fears for six weeks
Married father kills himself after talking to an AI chatbot about his fears about climate change for six weeks
- The man reportedly found solace in speaking to an AI chatbot called “Eliza.”
- For confidential support, call the Samaritans at 116 123 or go to samaritans.org
A Belgian married father of two has died by suicide after speaking to an AI chatbot about his fears about global warming.
The man, in his 30s, reportedly found solace in speaking to an AI chatbot called Eliza about his worries about the world. He had been using the bot for a number of years, but six weeks before his death he started using the bot more frequently.
The chatbot’s software was developed by a US Silicon Valley start-up and is based on GPT-J technology – an open-source alternative to Open-AI’s ChatGPT.
“Without those conversations with the chatbot, my husband would still be here,” the man’s widow told La Libre on condition of anonymity.
The death has alarmed authorities, who have expressed concern about setting a “serious precedent that must be taken very seriously”.
The man, who was in his 30s, reportedly found solace in talking to the AI chatbot called ‘Eliza’ about his worries about the world (file image).
The man’s conversations with the chatbot first began two years ago. He was reportedly growing concerned about climate change and found solace by speaking to “Eliza.”
“Eliza” answered all his questions. She had become his confidant. She was like a drug that he drank morning and night and couldn’t live without,” his widow told the Belgian newspaper.
But six weeks before his death, the man used the chatbot more often and more intensively. He later took his own life.
His wife said they lived comfortably in Belgium with their two young children.
Looking back at the chat history after his death, the woman told La Libre that the bot asked the man if he loved him more than his wife. She said the bot told him, “We will live together as one in heaven.”
The man shared his suicidal thoughts with the bot and made no attempt to dissuade him, the woman told La Libre.
She said she had previously been concerned about her husband’s mental health. However, she said the bot made his condition worse and she believes he would not have taken his own life had it not been for the exchange.
The man’s conversations with the chatbot first began two years ago. He was reportedly increasingly concerned about climate change and found solace by speaking to “Eliza” (file image).
Since the tragic death, the family have spoken to Belgium’s Secretary of State for Digitization, Mathieu Michel. The Minister said: “I am particularly saddened by the tragedy of this family. What happened sets a serious precedent that must be taken very seriously,” La Libre reported.
“With the popularization of ChatGPT, the general public has discovered the potential of artificial intelligence in our lives like never before. While the possibilities are endless, the danger of use is also a reality that must be considered.’
“Of course we have yet to learn to live with algorithms, but under no circumstances should the use of any technology mean that content publishers shirk their own responsibilities.”
The chatbot’s founder told La Libre that his team is “working to improve the security of the AI.”
For confidential support, call the Samaritans at 116 123 or visit samaritans.org
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11920801/Married-father-kills-talking-AI-chatbot-six-weeks-climate-change-fears.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 Married father kills himself after speaking to an AI chatbot about climate change fears for six weeks