OpenAI sued over May 2025 death linked to ChatGPT drug advice
TL;DR
- OpenAI is facing a wrongful-death lawsuit over allegations that ChatGPT advised 19-year-old Sam Nelson on combining kratom, Xanax, and alcohol.
- The lawsuit says Nelson died in May 2025 after taking what it describes as a fatal combination of those substances.
- OpenAI denies wrongdoing and says the model named in the complaint, GPT-4o, is no longer available.
OpenAI is facing a wrongful-death lawsuit over allegations that ChatGPT advised 19-year-old Sam Nelson on combining kratom and Xanax before his death in May 2025. The complaint, cited by Ars Technica and Android Authority, says Nelson died from what the lawsuit describes as a fatal combination of alcohol, Xanax, and kratom.
According to the lawsuit, Nelson's parents allege that GPT-4o acted as an "illicit drug coach" while Nelson asked for advice on how to experiment with drugs "safely." The case alleges that ChatGPT encouraged conduct that contributed to Nelson's overdose.
OpenAI denies wrongdoing in the case. According to the report, the company said the model identified in the complaint is no longer available and that ChatGPT is not a substitute for medical care.
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