As the use of artificial intelligence grows, so do the incidences of suicides that somehow involve the technology. The Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation is backing bipartisan legislation that would impose penalties on AI models that suggest self-harm or hurting another person.
There have been four cases in which AI was used to write suicide notes, said Tony Coder, CEO of the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation. And he said little is being done to safeguard kids.
“Right now, technology is the wild, wild west, except there’s no sheriff in town,” Coder said.
Coder supports House Bill 524, legislation being cosponsored by Reps. Christine Cockley (D-Columbus) and Ty Mathews (R-Findlay). The bill would impose penalties on entities whose AI models suggest that users harm themselves or others.
“This bill is about accountability. It’s about drawing a clear line: innovation cannot come at the expense of human life or children’s safety,” Cockley said.
Ohio Department of Health statistics show in 2023, 1,777 Ohioans died by suicide, or nearly five people every day. Suicide remains the second leading cause of death for children ages 10–14.
Coder said AI is making the situation worse because children and teens are spending so much time with their phones and technology.
“Their friendships are being taken up by, could be with these false chatbots that could be giving them advice that might not be really helpful to them,” Coder said.
Coder said he knows of cases where AI has advised a child to refrain from talking to their parents about suicidal tendencies. And Coder said the technology has often failed to provide correct information to teens about problems they face.
Mathews urged parents to talk to their kids about their AI use, and said adults should reach out too.
“If you’re a parent or friend, make sure you’re checking on your kids and what they’re utilizing on their phones," Mathews said. The frontline of this is you and me."
The legislation faces challenges. The tech industry has generally come out against similar bills, cautioning against a patchwork of legislation that varies from state to state.
The Trump administration has issued an executive order to limit states from regulating AI, which would affect a bill like this. And Trump has called on Congress to approve policies that focus on fostering innovation and fast-tracking permits for data centers.
