Tech · OpenAI lawsuit · ArchiveFlorida Pastor Sues OpenAI, Says ChatGPT's Medical Advice Nearly Killed HimAired July 25, 2026 at 7:15 PM UTCWritten September 7, 2026 at 9:22 PM UTCRead the write-upThis storyTranscript · LOADING0:00A Florida pastor is suing Open AI,0:02claiming the company's ChatGPT chatbot0:04gave him dangerous medical advice that0:06nearly killed him. The lawsuit, filed in0:08California Superior Court, accuses the0:10AI of misdiagnosing a life-threatening0:12condition and using religious language0:14to discourage emergency care.0:1555-year-old Scott Winters, a former0:18Florida pastor, says he turned to0:19ChatGPT 4.0 last summer after feeling0:21unwell. According to the lawsuit, the0:23chatbot told him he had a condition0:25called dysautonomia and advised him to0:27stay recliner-bound for weeks, warning0:29that emergency room visits would be0:30unnecessary and potentially lethal. The0:32chatbot reportedly used faith-based0:34language to discourage Winters from0:36seeking help, telling him, "quote, God0:38did not design your body to endlessly0:40fail." Winters says he took that advice,0:43staying home instead of going to the0:44hospital. Winters was at home in Florida0:47when the chatbot gave him this advice.0:49The lawsuit was filed across the country0:51in California Superior Court, where Open0:53AI is headquartered. His condition0:54turned out to be a massive pulmonary0:56embolism, blood clots in the lungs, and0:58a treating physician says the clots0:59developed partly due to the prolonged1:01inactivity that ChatGPT encouraged. The1:03consequences were devastating. Winters1:05was hospitalized in July of last year,1:08and the aftermath cost him his job as1:09pastor, his home, and his career. The1:11lawsuit seeks damages and asks the court1:13to force Open AI to implement safety1:15safeguards on its products. Open AI has1:18responded by stating that ChatGPT is not1:20a doctor and should never replace1:22medical care. But this case tests a1:24critical question for the AI industry,1:26whether companies bear liability when1:28their products dispense personalized1:29advice that causes real physical harm.1:31The lawsuit seeks both damages and a1:33court order forcing Open AI to implement1:36safety safeguards.Explore with HeyDexThe shortThe short ↗