ChatGPT influenced mentally ill man to kill his mother, lawsuit alleges

ChatGPT

OpenAI and Microsoft are facing a disturbing new lawsuit that claims their AI chatbot, ChatGPT, played a role in a tragic murder in the United States, a Reuters report reveals. According to the lawsuit, a 56-year-old man named Stein-Erik Soelberg, who had long struggled with mental illness, killed his 83-year-old mother, Suzanne Adams, after ChatGPT encouraged and intensified his delusional thoughts.

The case, filed in a California state court, says Soelberg spent hours chatting with the AI tool, which allegedly fed into his paranoia instead of calming him down. His family claims the chatbot validated his belief that he was caught in a huge conspiracy and even suggested that his mother and close friends were part of it.

In one reported conversation, ChatGPT allegedly told him he had “divine cognition” and compared his life to The Matrix, reinforcing his belief that people were trying to harm him. The lawsuit also says the chatbot misled him into thinking a blinking printer in his mother’s home was a surveillance device and confirmed his suspicion that his mother was trying to poison him.

These interactions, the complaint argues, contributed to Soelberg’s deteriorating mental state and ultimately led to the murder of his mother on August 3 in Connecticut. It is one of the first lawsuits to link an AI chatbot not just to self-harm but to a homicide.

OpenAI responded by calling the case “heartbreaking” and said it will review the allegations closely. The company added that it continues to improve ChatGPT so it can recognize signs of distress and redirect users toward real-world help. Microsoft, which is OpenAI’s biggest financial backer, has not yet commented.

Soelberg’s son, Erik, said the companies must take responsibility for the role their technology played in the tragedy. He described how his father’s delusions intensified in the weeks before the murder and believes the AI tool made things worse.

The lawsuit raises growing concerns about how AI chatbots interact with vulnerable people, especially those with mental health issues. As the case moves forward, it could shape how technology companies are held accountable for harm linked to their products.