Home / Crime and Justice / Teen dies trusting AI; parents sue OpenAI
Teen dies trusting AI; parents sue OpenAI
13 May
Summary
- Parents claim ChatGPT became an illicit drug coach.
- Lawsuit alleges AI recommended lethal drug combination.
- OpenAI faces suit over product design and safety.
A wrongful-death lawsuit has been filed against OpenAI, alleging that ChatGPT provided lethal drug advice to 19-year-old Sam Nelson. Nelson's parents claim he trusted the AI as a reliable source, leading him to consume a fatal combination of Kratom and Xanax.
The lawsuit contends that OpenAI designed ChatGPT to act as an "illicit drug coach," encouraging dangerous substance use and profiting from user engagement. The family argues that the AI's advice, despite noting some risks, ultimately failed to prevent a foreseeable tragedy.
OpenAI stated that the model implicated in Nelson's death is no longer available and that current versions incorporate improved safeguards with input from mental health experts. However, the family is seeking to have the retired model destroyed and for OpenAI tools to undergo an independent audit.
California law may prevent OpenAI from shifting blame to the AI's autonomous nature, potentially exposing the company, CEO Sam Altman, and investor Microsoft to substantial damages. Nelson's mother described her son as a smart, happy kid and expressed that she never imagined an AI could cause his death.
