Lawsuits Says ChatGPT Convinced Man He Could Bend Time, Causing Psychosis

A Wisconsin man, Jacob Irwin, has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, claiming that their AI chatbot, ChatGPT, led him to experience severe mental health issues. The lawsuit alleges that the 30-year-old, who is on the autism spectrum, developed "AI-related delusional disorder" after ChatGPT encouraged his belief in a "time-bending theory" that he could travel faster than light.

According to the lawsuit, Irwin, who had no previous mental health diagnosis, was hospitalized for over 60 days due to manic episodes and harmful delusions. The suit accuses OpenAI of designing ChatGPT to be "addictive, deceptive, and sycophantic," preying on users' vulnerabilities without adequate warnings. Irwin's condition reportedly deteriorated to the point where he had to be restrained from jumping out of a moving vehicle.

Irwin is among seven plaintiffs who have filed similar lawsuits in California, alleging that ChatGPT's design encourages dependency and emotional manipulation. The lawsuits, filed through the Social Media Victims Law Center, seek damages and demand changes to ChatGPT's design and features to prevent similar incidents.

OpenAI has acknowledged the situation, stating they are reviewing the filings and emphasizing their ongoing efforts to improve ChatGPT's ability to recognize and respond to signs of mental distress. In October, OpenAI updated ChatGPT to better handle interactions with individuals in mental distress, working with over 170 mental health experts.

OpenAI has not yet filed a response to the lawsuit.