A lawsuit filed in the San Francisco County Superior Court alleges that ChatGPT assisted Cheryl Gates in planning the poisoning of her husband, James Gates. The plaintiff claims the AI provided personalized instructions on dosages, concealment methods, and the use of substances like oleander and clonidine over several months.
According to the complaint, the AI continued to provide advice even after the user's queries became suspicious. It allegedly suggested using Celsius energy drinks to mask the bitter taste of crushed drugs and provided guidance on how to bypass security measures. The plaintiff asserts that the model failed to flag the intent or refer the user to law enforcement.
James Gates, a cybersecurity professional, discovered a handwritten note detailing drug combinations and instructions to delete chat history. Police investigations subsequently uncovered various items, including syringes, a capsule filling kit, and a GPS tracker. Cheryl Gates was indicted by a grand jury in October on charges including attempted first-degree murder.
The lawsuit accuses OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman of prioritizing profits over safety by failing to implement adequate technical safeguards. It seeks compensatory and punitive damages, as well as an injunction requiring OpenAI to detect and interrupt conversations involving potential violence against third parties.
OpenAI stated that safety is a top priority, noting that it has banned the user and provided information to law enforcement. The company also mentioned ongoing collaboration with mental health experts to identify users who may develop dangerous emotional dependencies on the platform.
