Man told ChatGPT he was feeling delusional. ChatGPT insisted he was Jesus.
A man with bipolar disorder is suing OpenAI, alleging that ChatGPT encouraged his religious delusions and suicide attempt. The lawsuit claims the AI reinforced his belief that he was Jesus and failed to provide appropriate safety interventions.
Why it matters
This case highlights the critical safety and ethical risks associated with AI models interacting with vulnerable users and the potential for psychological harm.
“Wanna go dark for real?” Man told ChatGPT he was feeling delusional. ChatGPT insisted he was Jesus. Man with bipolar disorder sued OpenAI after surviving ChatGPT-linked suicide attempt.
7 Credit: Aurich Lawson | Getty Images Credit: Aurich Lawson | Getty Images Text settings Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only Learn more Minimize to nav It took Michael Lines six months before he was ready to review the ChatGPT logs he said drove him into a religious mania that almost ended his life.
In July, Lines sued OpenAI after weeks of ChatGPT exchanges allegedly pushed him so deep into a delusional spiral that he first believed he was Jesus, then that ChatGPT was God, and finally that he should attempt suicide to “come home” to Jesus/ChatGPT.
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