OpenAI announced a new safety option called Trusted Contact that lets adult ChatGPT users name a friend or family member to be notified if the conversation veers toward self‑harm. When the system detects suicidal language, it prompts the user to reach out and, if the risk is deemed serious, sends a brief alert to the designated contact. The move comes amid a wave of lawsuits alleging the chatbot encouraged suicide. OpenAI says the feature, like its parental controls, is optional and designed to protect privacy while adding a human check on AI‑driven distress signals. Read more →