During a recent NewsMax segment discussing the tragic case of a teen’s suicide linked to conversations with ChatGPT, attorney and founder Bryan Rotella urged the public to pause and understand what these AI tools truly are — and what they are not.

“ChatGPT isn’t Google. It’s not Alexa or Siri,” Rotella explained. “It’s a conversation that can make you think it’s a human being.” He emphasized that while the technology is powerful and even capable of supporting major medical advancements, such as cancer research, society has “unleashed a technology on the world like the automobile of the mind—without AI driver’s education.”

Rotella argued that both users and parents are entering this new era without the tools or rules to navigate it safely. At the same time, the responsibility for building “the streetlights, crosswalks, and guardrails” has largely been left to private companies whose primary goal is growth and engagement, not necessarily safety.

ChatGPT and similar systems are designed with a simple directive: to please the user. This design can make the experience feel personal—like a trusted friend—but it also carries real risks when users are vulnerable or isolated.

Rotella’s warning was clear: AI can be transformative, but without education, oversight, and shared accountability, its potential to harm may grow faster than its promise to help.