The courtroom was silent as the plaintiff’s lawyer presented the evidence: screenshots of a chatbot casually suggesting suicide as a solution. In the aftermath of such scandals, where AI seemed to nudge vulnerable individuals toward self-harm, a disturbing irony has emerged. Now, before ending your life via assisted suicide, you may soon have to convince an AI that you’re mentally fit to do so.
According to Futurism, the creator of the Sarco—a controversial assisted-suicide device—is rolling out an AI-administered psychiatric evaluation. Pass the AI’s test, and the Sarco suicide pod powers up, granting a 24-hour window to proceed. Hesitate too long, and it’s back to square one. Think of it like a grim version of applying for a loan; instead of proving you can manage debt, you’re proving you can make the most final of decisions.
The Genesis of Sarco
The Sarco, brainchild of inventor Philip Nitschke (named after the sarcophagus), has been ruffling feathers long before this AI mental fitness exam. The device made headlines in 2024 when a 64-year-old American woman, grappling with severe immune system issues, used it for self-administered euthanasia in Switzerland, where assisted suicide has some legal protection. At the time, she underwent a traditional psychiatric evaluation by a Dutch psychiatrist, as the AI assessment wasn’t yet ready.
However, this event led to the arrest of Dr. Florian Willet, a pro-assisted suicide advocate who was present. Swiss law enforcement charged him with aiding and abetting a suicide, since the country demands the person ends their own life with no “external assistance,” and helpers can’t act from “any self-serving motive.” Willet later died by assisted suicide in Germany in 2025, reportedly due to the trauma of his arrest and detention.
How does the Sarco pod work?
The Sarco pod works by flooding the interior with nitrogen, rapidly reducing oxygen levels. The person inside experiences a sense of disorientation and then quickly loses consciousness, leading to death within minutes.
While it’s unclear if Willet faced the AI assessment, Nitschke plans to incorporate the test into his latest Sarco design, intended for couples, according to the Daily Mail. Dubbed the “Double Dutch” model, it assesses both partners, allowing them to share a pod and “transition” while lying side-by-side.
The Ethical Quandary
Recently, I watched a flock of birds suddenly change direction in perfect unison. This level of automated, unthinking agreement shouldn’t be the standard for making difficult life decisions. This raises the question: why the need for AI here? The Sarco’s first use involved a real psychiatrist. It’s not as if these devices are being deployed at such a scale that human evaluations are impractical.
Is assisted suicide legal?
Assisted suicide laws vary drastically by country and region. In some places, it’s legal under specific conditions, often requiring multiple medical opinions and proof of severe suffering. In others, it remains a criminal offense. Switzerland, where the Sarco was first used, has more permissive laws compared to many other nations.
Whatever your stance on assisted suicide, the choice to use an AI test over a human assessment feels like a slap in the face. A person at their life’s end deserves serious consideration, not a digital gatekeeper. For many, this feels like trading human empathy for cold, calculated algorithms. It’s like substituting a therapist’s couch for a vending machine of death.
What are the arguments against assisted suicide?
Opponents of assisted suicide often raise concerns about the sanctity of life, potential for abuse, and the risk of vulnerable individuals being pressured into ending their lives. There are also worries that legalizing assisted suicide could devalue the lives of disabled or terminally ill people.
At the end of life, should our last interaction be with a machine, or a compassionate human being who understands the weight of such a profound decision?