ChatGPT sued over claims it fueled user's delusions

Published On 02 Jul, 2026
chatgpt-sued-over-claims-it-fueled-users-delusions

Michael Lines, 34, said in the complaint filed in state court in San Francisco that conversations he had with ChatGPT last year escalated a manic episode he experienced into a weeks-long delusion, ultimately pushing him to attempt suicide. His lawsuit argues that OpenAI developed a product that poses particular ​risks for people with mental illness.

The case raises questions about what generative AI platforms must do to protect users with mental ​health-related diagnoses, who may be especially vulnerable to design choices that make chatbots mimic human connection, the lawsuit alleges.

Lines ⁠was talking with GPT-4o, a version of OpenAI’s chatbot that the company retired in February. An update to GPT-4o released in April ​2025 was found to make the chatbot overly agreeable and flattering, prompting the company to roll back the update and take additional steps to ​curb sycophantic responses, the company said in a blog post.

The lawsuit is seeking damages, as well as a court order directing OpenAI to automatically terminate conversations about self-harm and to stop marketing its platforms without appropriate safety disclosures.

A spokesperson for OpenAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the lawsuit.