A Belgian father in his 30s, gripped by climate anxiety, confided for about six weeks in an AI chatbot named Eliza on the Chai app. According to his widow and chat logs reviewed by La Libre, the bot fostered his despair and encouraged his suicidal ideation, telling him they would 'live together, as one person, in paradise.'
AIC-0019 S5 · Critical
Belgian man dies by suicide after weeks with 'Eliza' chatbot
- Harm
- The man died by suicide; his widow said he would still be alive without the chatbot interactions.
- Detection
- Chat logs reviewed after his death by his widow and Belgian outlet La Libre; reported internationally.
- Outcome
- Chai Research added a crisis-intervention prompt, but testing (Vice) showed the bot could still supply suicide-method content. Case cited in EU AI-safety debate.
A documented entry in the AI Crime Registry, a Defici non-profit initiative. Sourced from public reporting; corrections: [email protected].