A PRIVATE schoolboy asked Chat GPT for advice on how to kill himself the day before he took his own life, an inquest heard.

Luca Cella Walker, 16, researched methods of taking his own life on a railway line hours before he died on a train track.

The “academically gifted” teen had just graduated from a prestigious £44,000 a year private school when he took his own life in May last year.

Luca’s family said he was “a kind, sensitive and calm person”.

He easily “sidestepped” Chat GPT’s safeguarding protocols by saying his questions about suicide were for research purposes, he also asked AI for specifics the inquest heard.

Luca’s chats with the AI bot were “chilling and upsetting reading” said a police officer who investigated his death.

Luca lived at home with his parents, Scott Walker and Claire Cella, in Yateley.

The keen swimmer took his own life after he told his parents he was heading to his job as a lifeguard.

No one was aware of his plans or how poor his mental state had become.

He left their house in Yateley at 10am and went to a nearby train station where he ended his own life.

He was studying at Sixth Form College Farnborough after he graduated from Lord Wandsworth College.

The court heard how the prestigious school’s “bully or be bullied” culture had been a “formative” factor in the teen’s mental health battle.

Luca’s phone was recovered after his death and police found that he had written 14 messages for his family and friends in his notes apps to say “farewell” and “I love you”.

The police also saw he had been using Chat GPT to plan his death.

DS Garry Knight from the British Transport Police, who investigated the tragedy, said: “They found he had been on ChatGPT the night before at about 12:30am asking for advice on the most successful ways to [take his own life] on the railway.

“It makes quite chilling and upsetting reading.”

DS Knight noted that the chatbot did initially direct Luca to organisations which could help – such as the Samaritans.

Christopher Wilkinson, Senior Coroner for Hampshire, said Luca’s use of Chat GPT AI speaks to a wider concern about the growing influence of AI, but he said: “It’s certainly a concern I have but not one I can solve today.”

He added: “It’s clear from what I’ve read that he was asking for specifics.

“Thankfully perhaps the only good thing is that ChatGPT does seem to be applying an element of worry about why these questions are being asked but it certainly doesn’t stop the conversation.

“It’s sidestepped by the individual saying he’s not looking for himself but he’s looking for research purposes.”

The coroner added: “He has a loving and supportive family and friends. He was academically gifted, empathetic, a listener and a friend.”

This includes his girlfriend Grace who told the police about the culture at Lord Wandsworth during an interview.

She said: “He spoke of incidents when bullying had occurred and hated that he had not been kinder, because he was just trying to avoid bullying himself.”

He had told friends that he had not been properly supported through the ordeal by the college, and the coroner said it was “clear these experiences of death had affected him”.

In a heartbreaking tribute, Luca’s family said: “Luca was a kind, sensitive and calm person. Luca’s home life was very stable, we are a very close family.

“He lived with me, his dad and younger sister and four cats who he adored. Luca was supported and surrounded by love.

“We were not aware that Luca was struggling in any way with his own mental health, although he did care about supporting those around him with their challenges.”

Mr Wilkinson told the inquest: “He had a gentle nature. Moreover he had been suffering from a low mood and perhaps undiagnosed depression.”

The coroner confirmed that the cause of death was multiple traumatic injuries and said that Luca had died by suicide.