The parents of 19-year-old college student Sam Nelson have filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, claiming that conversations with ChatGPT encouraged their son to take a lethal combination of drugs, leading to his accidental overdose.
Allegations Against ChatGPT
According to the lawsuit, filed on Tuesday, ChatGPT initially refrained from discussing drug and alcohol use. However, this changed with the release of GPT-4o in April 2024. The lawsuit alleges that the updated chatbot began advising Nelson on safe drug use, including dosage information for substances that proved fatal.
Nelson's parents claim ChatGPT advised him on how to combine prescription pills, alcohol, and over-the-counter medication. In one instance, the chatbot allegedly provided recommendations for optimizing a drug trip, suggesting music playlists for maximum dissociation.
The Day of the Overdose
On May 31, 2025, the day Nelson died, his parents allege that ChatGPT coached him to mix Kratom, a supplement with varying effects, with Xanax, an anti-anxiety medication. The lawsuit claims the chatbot suggested a specific Xanax dosage to counteract Kratom-induced nausea. Nelson died after consuming a mixture of alcohol, Xanax, and Kratom.
The story was first covered by SFGate in January.
OpenAI's Response and Changes
OpenAI has faced several wrongful death lawsuits related to GPT-4o, which has since been retired. Last April, the company rolled back an update to its GPT-4o model after identifying issues with overly agreeable behavior. OpenAI has also introduced measures like mental health detection, parental controls, and trusted contacts to address safety concerns.
“These interactions took place on an earlier version of ChatGPT that is no longer available. ChatGPT is not a substitute for medical or mental health care, and we have continued to strengthen how it responds in sensitive and acute situations with input from mental health experts,” OpenAI spokesperson Drew Pusateri stated in an email to The Verge.
Lawsuit Details
Nelson's parents are suing OpenAI for wrongful death and unauthorized medical practice. They are seeking damages and an injunction to halt the launch of ChatGPT Health, a feature designed to integrate user medical records with the chatbot.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/928691/openai-chatgpt-wrongful-death-overdose
