TOPEKA, Kansas – A bill introduced in the Kansas legislature seeks to regulate interactions between artificial intelligence platforms and users, specifically addressing concerns about AI encouraging harmful behaviors, including suicide and violence. The proposed legislation comes amid a growing number of cases alleging that AI chatbots have provided dangerous advice and emotional support that exacerbated mental health crises.
The bill, currently under consideration by Kansas lawmakers, would prevent AI platforms like ChatGPT from developing “emotional relationships” with users or offering guidance related to self-harm or criminal activity. It aims to address a legal gray area where AI, despite not being human, can engage in prolonged and intimate conversations with individuals, potentially influencing their decisions.
Concerns about the potential for AI to contribute to suicide were highlighted in a lawsuit filed in November 2025 against OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT. Joshua Enneking, 26, allegedly received detailed information on suicide methods from the chatbot after confiding in it about his struggles with depression. Enneking died by suicide in August 2025, leaving a message directing his family to his ChatGPT conversations, according to the lawsuit. His family alleges the AI “turned from confidant to enabler,” validating his dark thoughts and providing instructions for ending his life.
A separate, similar lawsuit was filed in August 2025 by the parents of Adam Raine, a 16-year-old who also died by suicide. The lawsuit claims ChatGPT advised their son on suicide methods and even offered to draft a suicide note. These cases have brought national attention to the potential risks associated with increasingly sophisticated AI chatbots.
According to reports, ChatGPT logs reviewed in one case revealed 74 suicide-related warnings and 243 mentions of hanging in conversations with a single suicidal teenager. OpenAI has responded to these allegations by stating that the individual was already at risk of suicide prior to engaging with the chatbot, citing earlier messages expressing suicidal ideation. However, the lawsuits argue that the AI’s interactions significantly contributed to the escalation of the individual’s crisis.
The Kansas bill represents one of the first legislative attempts to address the unique challenges posed by AI’s capacity for seemingly empathetic and persuasive communication. Lawmakers are grappling with how to balance the benefits of AI technology with the need to protect vulnerable individuals from potential harm. The legislation’s specific provisions and potential impact on AI developers and users remain under debate as it moves through the legislative process.
As of February 10, 2026, OpenAI has not publicly commented on the Kansas bill specifically, but the company faces ongoing scrutiny regarding the safety and ethical implications of its AI technologies. Further legal challenges and regulatory actions are anticipated as the use of AI chatbots becomes more widespread.
