AI death lawsuit sparks alarming warning from ‘Doctor GPT’
( NewsNation ) — A wrongful death lawsuit against OpenAI is raising new concerns about the risks of relying on artificial intelligence for medical advice.
The suit alleges 31-year-old Seattle software engineer Bowen Wang died after following ChatGPT guidance to taper off anti-seizure medication.
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The lawsuit claims Wang worried her medication was affecting her English proficiency as she faced job uncertainty and sought advice from ChatGPT instead of a physician.
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Her parents allege the AI generated a medication-reduction plan that ultimately led her to stop taking the prescription entirely, despite her history of epilepsy.
The complaint further alleges ChatGPT encouraged Wang to keep the plan from her doctors and reassured her after she reportedly began experiencing warning signs of seizures.
Appearing on NewsNation's "Jesse Weber Live," emergency physician and healthcare AI expert Dr. Harvey Castro, aka Dr. GPT, delivered a blunt warning about using AI as a replacement for medical professionals.
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"AI is a brilliant medical copilot, but an illegal solo pilot," Castro said, stressing that patients should never rely on AI alone for healthcare decisions.
Castro also expressed disbelief at allegations that the chatbot encouraged secrecy. "It literally told her, 'Do not tell your doctor. Let's hide this away from a doctor,'" he said. "I'm heartbroken hearing the news. It's terrible."
Castro likens ChatGPT-guided drug taper to 'taking off the brakes on a speeding car'
Discussing the alleged medication taper, Castro compared the rapid reduction to disaster. "That's equivalent to just taking off the brakes on a speeding car," he said, noting that seizure medications often carry FDA warnings against abruptly stopping treatment.
OpenAI has described the case as heartbreaking and said the plaintiff was using an older version of ChatGPT that is no longer available. The company has maintained that newer models are better equipped to recognize situations requiring urgent medical attention, but the lawsuit is likely to intensify debate over the growing number of Americans turning to AI for health guidance.
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The lawsuit is the latest in a growing wave of legal challenges facing OpenAI.
NewsNation previously reported on lawsuits alleging ChatGPT contributed to mental health crises and self-harm, while other plaintiffs have claimed the chatbot encouraged dangerous behavior or provided harmful guidance . Those cases have fueled scrutiny over whether AI companies have implemented adequate safeguards as millions of Americans increasingly rely on chatbots for information and advice.
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