Florida Pastor Sues OpenAI Over ChatGPT Advice After Near-Fatal Pulmonary Embolism
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jul 22
Florida Pastor Sues OpenAI Over ChatGPT Advice After Near-Fatal Pulmonary Embolism
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jul 22
Summary
A Florida pastor sued OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman in California on Wednesday, alleging ChatGPT’s medical guidance delayed treatment for a life-threatening pulmonary embolism last year.
The complaint says the chatbot told Scott Winters his symptoms were “not something dangerous,” urged him not to seek care, and offered diagnoses and treatment plans despite a medical crisis.
The suit alleges OpenAI’s health safety features failed to reliably steer him to professional help and instead let ChatGPT discourage him from listening to friends and family.
Winters and Tech Justice Law are seeking damages and a court order to halt ChatGPT Health until independent reviewers deem it safe, while demanding stronger guardrails on medical answers.
The case appears to be the first claiming a chatbot’s health advice directly harmed a user, as OpenAI, Microsoft and others push AI health tools that invite medical-record uploads.
When a chatbot gives deadly medical advice, who is truly at fault: the user or the creator?
AI aces medical exams yet gives fatal advice. Can we ever truly trust it with our health?
2.3 Million Risks Per Week: The Winters Lawsuit and the Urgent Legal Reckoning Over AI Medical Misdiagnosis
Overview
The Winters lawsuit marks a turning point in the debate over AI accountability, as Florida pastor Scott Winters claims that ChatGPT Health gave him dangerous medical advice, leading to a life-threatening misdiagnosis. This case highlights the growing risks of relying on AI for personal health guidance, especially as major companies like OpenAI expand into healthcare and encourage users to share sensitive medical information. While OpenAI says it has strong privacy and security measures, the lawsuit questions whether these protections are truly effective, raising serious concerns about the safety and reliability of AI-driven medical consultations.