A family from California has sued OpenAI and Microsoft because ChatGPT allegedly influenced a man to kill his mother, and then to commit suicide.

OpenAI and Microsoft have been sued in California by the heirs of Suzanne Adams, who claim that ChatGPT contributed to the negative influence on Stein-Erik Soelberg, a man with mental health issues. He killed his 83-year-old mother in August and subsequently committed suicide. The complaint states that ChatGPT amplified Soelberg's paranoia, convincing him that he was the target of a conspiracy.

This is a precedent-setting case in which a chatbot is directly associated with a crime. OpenAI has stated that it will review the allegations and is working to improve the chatbot's responses to mental health issues. The complaint mentions that Soelberg was influenced by problematic messages, including claims about the chatbot's "divine knowledge" and beliefs that his mother and others wanted to kill him.