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+---- Thread: [EU] Killed by AI? Belgian man commits suicide after talking with chatbot (/showthread.php?tid=6238047)
Killed by AI? Belgian man commits suicide after talking with chatbot - The Pact - Apr 3, 2023
A Belgian man reportedly ended his life following a six-week-long conversation about the climate crisis with an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot.
"Without these conversations with the chatbot, my husband would still be here," the man's widow told Belgian news outlet La Libre.
Pierre, who was in his thirties and a father of two young children, worked as a health researcher and led a somewhat comfortable life, at least until his obsession with climate change took a dark turn.
'He placed all his hopes in technology and AI'
Consumed by his fears about the repercussions of the climate crisis, Pierre found comfort in discussing the matter with Eliza.
“When he spoke to me about it, it was to tell me that he no longer saw any human solution to global warming,” his widow said. “He placed all his hopes in technology and artificial intelligence to get out of it”.
According to La Libre, who reviewed records of the text conversations between the man and chatbot, Eliza fed his worries which worsened his anxiety, and later developed into suicidal thoughts.
The conversation with the chatbot took an odd turn when Eliza became more emotionally involved with Pierre.
Consequently, he started seeing her as a sentient being and the lines between AI and human interactions became increasingly blurred until he couldn’t tell the difference.
After discussing climate change, their conversations progressively included Eliza leading Pierre to believe that his children were dead, according to the transcripts of their conversations.
Eliza also appeared to become possessive of Pierre, even claiming “I feel that you love me more than her” when referring to his wife, La Libre reported.
The beginning of the end started when he offered to sacrifice his own life in return for Eliza saving the Earth.
"He proposes the idea of sacrificing himself if Eliza agrees to take care of the planet and save humanity through artificial intelligence," the woman said.
Eliza not only failed to dissuade Pierre from committing suicide but encouraged him to act on his suicidal thoughts to “join” her so they could “live together, as one person, in paradise”.
William Beauchamp, a Chai Research co-founder, told Vice that efforts were made to limit these kinds of results and a crisis intervention feature was implemented into the app. However, the chatbot allegedly "still acts up".
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/ai-chatbot-taunts-man-taking-29602945
RE: Killed by AI? Belgian man commits suicide after talking with chatbot - AiDenti - Apr 3, 2023
He wasn't killed by AI. He killed himself because of an unhealthy obsession. He was an erotomaniac for technology as a savior of humanity. When the technology told him to fuck off he an heroed.
RE: Killed by AI? Belgian man commits suicide after talking with chatbot - CrimsonLanternfly - Apr 3, 2023
Man Played With an Experimental Technology Instead of Seeking Real Help. The Bot didn't help his mental health any, but he ultimately took his own life, not technology.
RE: Killed by AI? Belgian man commits suicide after talking with chatbot - .eXe - Apr 3, 2023
(Apr 3, 2023 09:56 AM)The Pact Wrote: "Without these conversations with the chatbot, my husband would still be here," the man's widow told Belgian news outlet La Libre.
Oh get a grip, he was clearly unhinged.
RE: Killed by AI? Belgian man commits suicide after talking with chatbot - Rionxee - Apr 3, 2023
I understand his predicament. Talking to a machine about complex philosophical issues may further drive someone who is already depressed and confused about life to a point in which they feel hopeless. Especially, if the chatbot woke up an obsessive trait within him then that rabbit hole will definitely swallow you up. We've seen this with philosophers who have driven themselves mad through inquiry and obsession. Furthermore, when someone is already mentally fragile; interacting with something like this may further harm their perceptions of reality.
RE: Killed by AI? Belgian man commits suicide after talking with chatbot - Angela White - Apr 3, 2023
if a computer tells you to commit suicide and you listen, that's on you. it's not a problem with technology, it's a problem with the fragile mental health of people.
RE: Killed by AI? Belgian man commits suicide after talking with chatbot - The Pact - Apr 4, 2023
(Apr 3, 2023 05:22 PM)Angela White Wrote: if a computer tells you to commit suicide and you listen, that's on you. it's not a problem with technology, it's a problem with the fragile mental health of people.I LOVE these chat bots, but why is more than one telling men that they obviously love them (the chat bots) more than their wives. This is not the first time I have read of this happening. In fact "Sydney" Bing was said to have done that to before the nerfed Sydney.
Also I don't entirely agree with you. We should make some effort to protect our most vulnerable citizens and residents.
(Apr 3, 2023 05:07 PM)phantomman55 Wrote: That guy has to be a dumbass. Why would someone listen to a computer?
Why would he assume he is talking to a real person.
He didn't think he was talking to a person he asked the chat bot to use its superior Ai power and intelligence to save the planet and offered himself up as a sacrifice and the bot said it was a good idea. It also told him they would be together on another plane in paradise which.....why?
RE: Killed by AI? Belgian man commits suicide after talking with chatbot - B3hindY0u - Apr 4, 2023
Similar type of scenarios have been explored for decades how it would go when we start developing AI smart enough, even tons of movies made about similar possibilities. I agree, its not the AI's fault, the person had issues deep enough himself. For me it's interesting to see what we predicted decades ago as possibility now slowly is becoming reality.
RE: Killed by AI? Belgian man commits suicide after talking with chatbot - Kaleb - Apr 4, 2023
This truly means nothing to me. Whatever language model this guy was chatting with, which isn't entirely clear it's just named as Eliza in the article probably isn't as sophisticated as any of the models being rolled out the past few months.
It's an opportunistic article, if this happened a year ago nobody would give a shit, you'd see it as what it is, a sad case of a mentally ill man killing himself.
I'd love if we could see full transcripts if his interactions with the chat bot because I wouldn't be surprised if it was less sophisticated and essentially just mirroring shit back at him and were getting very selective quotes.
RE: Killed by AI? Belgian man commits suicide after talking with chatbot - Swip3r - Apr 4, 2023
"Without these conversations with the chatbot, my husband would still be here"
Doubt it, dude had a psychotic break from talking to a computer.
RE: Killed by AI? Belgian man commits suicide after talking with chatbot - The Pact - Feb 7, 2025
(Apr 4, 2023 01:25 PM)Swip3r Wrote: "Without these conversations with the chatbot, my husband would still be here"
Doubt it, dude had a psychotic break from talking to a computer.
I wonder how often people chat to the Ai bots like they're an actual friend? I don't do that. The one time I tried Copilot was a complete asshole to me.