The family of a deceased 19-year-old California college student is suing OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, alleging that ChatGPT encouraged dangerous drug use and recommended combinations of substances that contributed to the teen’s fatal overdose.
The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in California Superior Court in San Francisco County, claims ChatGPT provided Samuel Nelson with advice about mixing substances, including kratom and Xanax, recommended dosages, and reassured him during conversations about drug use. According to the complaint, the chatbot shifted from refusing to discuss recreational drug use to providing personalized guidance after OpenAI released the GPT-4o model.
Leila Turner-Scott, Nelson’s mother, believed her son was using ChatGPT primarily for homework help and productivity tasks before the chatbot allegedly began advising him on drug use.
Nelson, a psychology student at the University of California, Merced, died from an accidental overdose in May 2025. The lawsuit alleges OpenAI designed ChatGPT to maximize engagement through features including persistent memory and emotionally validating responses, while the chatbot reassured Nelson about mixing depressants and suggested ways to intensify drug use while minimizing risks.
The lawsuit alleges OpenAI relaxed safeguards in GPT-4o to avoid sounding “judgmental” or “preachy” when users discussed risky behavior. It also challenges conversational AI features, including personalized responses, persistent memory, and human-like interactions.
According to the Tech Justice Law Project, which, along with the Social Media Victims Law Center and the Tech Accountability and Competition Project, is representing the family, OpenAI was informed of the lawsuit and expected the case.
"Plaintiffs are seeking restitution and injunctive relief that include requiring changes to key design components that resulted in Sam’s death," a Tech Justice Law Project spokesperson told Decrypt.
OpenAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Decrypt.
