Fatal overdose after ChatGPT council: Parents of deceased teenager sue OpenAI

In the US, several families have sued ChatGPT provider OpenAI in recent months. They hold the AI ​​chatbot partly responsible for the suicides of their relatives. The AI ​​tool encouraged those affected in their suicidal thoughts or even supported them in planning, according to the accusation.

Lawsuit against OpenAI and ChatGPT

Now a new case has come to light in which ChatGPT is accused of being complicit in the death of a teenager. As Reuters reports, the parents of a 19-year-old who died of an overdose in late May 2025 have sued OpenAI and its founder and CEO Sam Altman.

According to the lawsuit (via Ars Technica), the parents accuse the AI ​​provider of encouraging the young man to take a dangerous mixture of drugs, alcohol and medication. This drug cocktail ultimately led to the 19-year-old’s death.

Drug Mix: Dangerous ChatGPT Advice

Specifically, the man is said to have taken a high dose of kratom, a herbal substance that is said to have a similar effect to opioids. When he then felt sick, he consulted ChatGPT. When asked, the AI ​​chatbot advised taking the sedative Xanax.

ChatGPT is said to have initially warned against the combination of Kratom and Xanax, but eventually even gave the man a dosage recommendation. Ultimately, the mix of substances plus alcohol is said to have caused the 19-year-old’s death. According to the lawsuit, he suffocated.

AI chatbot as a drug counselor

The problem with the case is that the young man is said to have used ChatGPT as a kind of drug counselor in the months before his death. The AI ​​chatbot is said to have given personalized recommendations about specific drugs and how to obtain them – based on the desired experiences, as Reuters writes.

The parents of the deceased are now demanding compensation from OpenAI. The height should be determined during the possible process. The lawsuit brings “wrongful death” into play as an accusation, which in German would mean something like “negligent homicide”.

Accusation: GPT-4o launched hastily?

Specifically, OpenAI boss Altman is accused of rushing the release of GPT-4o. This model in particular, launched in 2024, is said to have enabled the deceased to obtain information about drugs.

An OpenAI spokesperson said the whole thing was “heartbreaking.” However, the affected earlier ChatGPT version is no longer available. And: Current versions are more secure and no longer provide corresponding advice.

OpenAI is supposed to stop ChatGPT Health

The plaintiff parents also want OpenAI to stop the current introduction of ChatGPT Health. The platform allows uploading personal medical data to receive personalized health advice.

Here, independent auditors should first test the security. According to OpenAI, around 40 million users worldwide use ChatGPT every day to ask questions about health.