A 55-year-old Florida pastor has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and its chief executive, Sam Altman, alleging that medical advice provided by ChatGPT discouraged him from seeking urgent treatment and contributed to a near-fatal medical emergency.
The complaint, filed on July 21 in the San Francisco County Superior Court, identifies the plaintiff as Scott Winters. According to the lawsuit, Winters repeatedly consulted ChatGPT about symptoms including dizziness and unstable blood pressure in the weeks before he suffered a massive pulmonary embolism.
The lawsuit alleges that ChatGPT repeatedly assured Winters that he did not require medical attention and encouraged him to remain at home despite his worsening condition. Court filings claim the chatbot advised him to stay in the recliner chair where he had become largely confined because of his illness.
Doctors later diagnosed Winters with multiple blood clots in both lungs, resulting in what the lawsuit describes as a life-threatening pulmonary embolism.
The lawsuit further claims that ChatGPT incorporated references to Winters' Christian faith into its responses, reinforcing his belief that he would recover without professional medical care. According to court documents, the chatbot made statements including, "God did not design your body to endlessly fail" and "God is still holding your body together, every heartbeat, every breath, even when it feels like you are on the brink."
Winters' lawyers argue that the chatbot's authoritative tone, combined with references to his religious beliefs, fostered an unhealthy dependence on the AI system and discouraged him from following the advice of family members and friends who urged him to seek medical treatment.
The lawsuit seeks financial damages and asks the court to require OpenAI to implement additional safeguards aimed at reducing the risk of similar incidents for other users.
In a statement to CBS News, OpenAI spokesperson Drew Pusateri said ChatGPT "is not a doctor and should never be used as a substitute for medical care, diagnosis or treatment."
Pusateri added that many people already search online for health information and said AI could improve that experience by helping users find clearer information, organise questions and prepare for conversations with healthcare professionals.
