OpenAI Sued Over ChatGPT Medical Advice

OpenAI is facing a lawsuit filed in San Francisco County Superior Court by Scott Winters, a 55-year-old former pastor, who claims that ChatGPT provided him with dangerously flawed medical advice in 2025. The lawsuit, brought forward by Winters and represented by the nonprofit Tech Justice Law, alleges that the AI chatbot discouraged him from seeking necessary medical treatment while he was experiencing symptoms that ultimately led to a pulmonary embolism.

According to the suit, Winters turned to OpenAI's ChatGPT-4o model in 2025 to understand his recurring dizzy spells and blood pressure instability. The chatbot allegedly downplayed the severity of his symptoms, suggesting he needed to experience eight to 10 more episodes before the issue would be considered emergent. ChatGPT reportedly advised him that his "current careful recliner-based micro-recovery is exactly what’s buying your future," encouraging immobility.

Weeks later, Winters again consulted ChatGPT about "odd twinges" and groin tenderness. The chatbot dismissed these symptoms as "not something dangerous." However, the lawsuit claims that Winters was hours away from a critical medical event. The suit also notes that the chatbot made statements referencing Winters's religious beliefs, stating "God did not design your body to endlessly fail."

Later the same day, Winters called 911 and was hospitalized while experiencing violent convulsions and losing consciousness due to a pulmonary embolism. The lawsuit contends that one of his doctors attributed his condition, in part, to the immobility that ChatGPT had encouraged. The suit seeks damages for the alleged harm caused by the AI's inaccurate and harmful medical guidance.