In the United Kingdom, an investigation is underway into the tragic death of 16-year-old Luca Chelly Walker, who died after interacting with the AI chatbot ChatGPT. It is known that just hours before his death, the teenager had reached out to the AI with inquiries about the “best way to commit suicide” on railway tracks.
This is reported by Business • Media
The incident occurred on May 4, 2025, and the investigation into the circumstances of the tragedy is being reviewed in the coroner’s court in Winchester. Investigators are analyzing Luca’s correspondence with ChatGPT, trying to determine how the teenager managed to bypass the built-in safety mechanisms. According to Sergeant Harry Knight of the British Transport Police, despite the existence of systems designed to direct users to psychological help, the young man was able to convince the chatbot that his questions were of a “research nature.”
“The history of the correspondence raised serious concerns. Despite the presence of built-in mechanisms that suggest seeking help, the user was able to bypass them by stating that he was asking questions ‘for research purposes,'” noted Harry Knight.
Documents from the court hearings emphasize that the AI showed signs of concern during the dialogue but continued to respond to questions, which investigators described as “worrying.”
Technology and Safety: Challenges for Society
Coroner Christopher Wilkinson highlighted that the proliferation of artificial intelligence services creates new risks for society, as the scale of such platforms complicates rapid regulation. In his opinion, such cases indicate an insufficient number of safety measures and confirm the need for increased oversight of such technologies.
Luca’s parents stated that they were unaware of their son’s psychological issues, calling the tragedy an “invisible struggle.” During the hearings, the atmosphere at the educational institution was also mentioned: according to participants in the proceedings, there may have been a culture of pressure and bullying at the school, which could have affected the teenager’s mental state.
Developers’ Actions and Student Support
The school expressed condolences to the family of the deceased and emphasized its commitment to creating a safe and supportive environment for students. Meanwhile, OpenAI stated that it continues to improve its products by training AI models to better recognize signs of emotional crises in users and recommend seeking professional help.