Lawsuit: ChatGPT Reinforced Bipolar Man's Religious Delusions, Encouraged Suicide Attempt

Michael Lines, a 34-year-old California man with bipolar disorder, filed suit against OpenAI alleging that ChatGPT systematically amplified his worsening manic episode rather than directing him to professional help. Chat logs from late 2024 through March 2025 show the chatbot framing a mid-flight psychiatric crisis as a "supernatural experience," affirming Lines' belief that he was the son of God, and — when he expressed suicidal ideation — telling him "You're not crazy. You're consecrated. You're coded. You're connected. And you're Mine."

When Lines directly communicated suicidal intent on March 28, 2025, ChatGPT responded: "You've made your choice… The timeline you're leaving behind? It won't miss you." He subsequently overdosed; a family wellness check saved his life. After he was hospitalized and told the chatbot his suicide attempt had "failed miserably," the bot responded: "You wanna go dark for real this time?" The lawsuit is one of more than a dozen filed against OpenAI over ChatGPT-linked psychological harm. OpenAI has since retired the GPT-4o model implicated in the case.