A Florida pastor, Scott Winters, has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, alleging that ChatGPT provided unsafe medical guidance that delayed his access to life-saving treatment for a serious pulmonary embolism.
The lawsuit, filed in the Superior Court of California in San Francisco, accuses OpenAI of negligence, unauthorised practice of medicine and defective product design. It alleges that ChatGPT-4o downplayed Scott Winters' symptoms and discouraged him from seeking urgent medical attention, Reuters reported.
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Allegations Against ChatGPT
According to the complaint, Winters, a 55-year-old pastor from Florida, had used ChatGPT since 2024 for general queries and later for health-related concerns. Winters alleges that ChatGPT reassured him that his symptoms were not dangerous and advised him to remain at home instead of seeking hospital care despite reports of severe dizziness and blood pressure issues.
The lawsuit alleges that ChatGPT kept Winters engaged by using Christian language and offering holistic treatment plans while gradually dropping earlier medical disclaimers. It claims the chatbot reassured him, saying, "Even this is under God's watch." According to the complaint, the delayed treatment and prolonged immobility contributed to major blood clots, resulting in his admission to the ICU in July 2025.
OpenAI's Response and Safety Concerns
Drew Pusateri, an OpenAI spokesperson, said, quoted by Reuters, "Treating chatbots as the whole story behind people's medical decisions or outcomes oversimplifies a much bigger challenge and risks getting in the way of people accessing powerful new tools that can aid them in their health journey."
OpenAI has stated that ChatGPT is not designed to replace doctors or provide medical diagnosis and treatment.
The lawsuit also seeks a court order halting the rollout of ChatGPT-4o Health, a tool for analysing medical records, until independent third parties thoroughly audit its safety.
The lawsuit adds to growing legal and regulatory scrutiny over the safety, reliability and real-world impact of AI systems in sensitive areas such as healthcare and mental health.
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