OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman have once again come under legal scrutiny. A new lawsuit claims that ChatGPT gave dangerous medical advice to a man, delaying proper treatment and leading to a pulmonary embolism that nearly killed him. The lawsuit was filed on Wednesday in a California state court in San Francisco by Scott Winters, a pastor from Florida. According to the complaint, Winters relied on advice from GPT 4o, an older version of ChatGPT that has since been retired by OpenAI.
The lawsuit explained that Winters experienced repeated dizzy spells and later noticed tenderness in his groin. Instead of telling him to seek urgent medical care, ChatGPT allegedly suggested that he stay home, limit his movement, and said the tenderness was likely not something dangerous. Just the day after asking about the tenderness, Winters was hospitalised, reports Reuters. The tenderness was likely linked to blood clots that had formed in his lungs. Doctors later said the pulmonary embolism was likely caused by his lack of movement.
Also read: Amazon lays off employees in AGI division while investing billions in AI: Report
According to the filing, Winters had several conversations with ChatGPT in the months before suffering embolism. He shared details about his medical conditions and test results. The chatbot reportedly suggested holistic treatment plans and even used Christian language to build trust with him. “Even this is under God’s watch.”
Earlier in the conversations, ChatGPT reportedly advised Winters to consult a medical professional. However, the lawsuit claimed those warnings later stopped appearing. It also alleged that after Winters was hospitalised, the chatbot encouraged him to avoid the rehabilitation program recommended by his doctors and stay home instead.
The lawsuit seeks financial damages. It also asks the court to order OpenAI to make ChatGPT end conversations when immediate treatment is needed. Also, the lawsuit asks the court to pause the rollout of ChatGPT 4o Health, a specialised health product that allows users to upload medical records and receive personalised health advice.
This is not the first lawsuit accusing ChatGPT of causing harm through medical advice. In May, the parents of a man who died from an accidental drug overdose also sued OpenAI and Sam Altman. They alleged ChatGPT encouraged him to take a dangerous combination of substances.
In January, OpenAI said that around 40 million people ask ChatGPT healthcare-related questions every day. This shows how widely the AI chatbot is being used for medical advice.