The family of a teenager who fatally overdosed after consulting ChatGPT is suing OpenAI, asking the court to pause the rollout of ChatGPT Health.
Leila Turner-Scott and Angus Scott claim their 19-year-old son, Sam, died of an overdose after ChatGPT instructed him on how to mix Xanax with the herbal supplement kratom, according to the lawsuit filed May 12 in Superior Court of California in San Francisco County. The plaintiffs seek monetary damages and the postponement of ChatGPT Health until it is independently proven safe.
“This is a heartbreaking situation, and our thoughts are with the family,” an OpenAI spokesperson told Becker’s. “The safeguards in ChatGPT today are designed to identify distress, safely handle harmful requests, and guide users to real-world help. This work is ongoing, and we continue to improve it in close consultation with clinicians.”
The teen interacted with an older version of ChatGPT that is no longer available to the public, the spokesperson noted.
ChatGPT Health, which allows users to upload their medical records to provide context for its answers, launched with a limited release in January. It currently has a waitlist. OpenAI says physicians give continuous feedback on its AI’s responses.
More than 40 million Americans ask ChatGPT health-related questions every day, the company says. However, OpenAI and other chatbot developers are facing an increasing number of lawsuits for wrongful deaths over their AI’s guidance.
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