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OpenAI is facing renewed scrutiny over the safety of its artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot ChatGPT after the parents of a 31-year-old woman filed a lawsuit alleging that the platform encouraged their daughter to stop taking her prescribed epilepsy medication without medical supervision.
Qun Wan and Meiqin Xu filed the lawsuit on October 27, 2026, following the death of their daughter, Bowen Wan, a Seattle-based software engineer who had been taking prescription medication to manage epilepsy for years. According to the parents, ChatGPT advised her to gradually reduce her daily anti-seizure medication until she stopped taking it altogether. They allege that the advice contributed to her sudden death.
The case has renewed questions about the risks of turning to AI chatbots for medical guidance. It has also brought back a warning issued by Google CEO Sundar Pichai in 2023, when he stressed the importance of getting medical information right in AI-powered products.
When ChatGPT debuted in 2022, Google reportedly declared an internal “Code Red” as it accelerated efforts to compete in the rapidly evolving AI space. The company subsequently introduced its Bard chatbot, although its launch faced criticism, including internal concerns over the rollout.
In February 2023, Pichai addressed Google employees and encouraged them to test the company’s new chatbot. Amid criticism over Google’s pace of development, he urged the workforce to adopt a measured approach, reminding them that “some of our most successful products were not first to market”.
Pichai emphasised that the priority should be building high-quality products while ensuring they were developed responsibly. Google opened early access to Bard in March 2023 and subsequently announced several updates at its Google I/O keynote in May that year.
In a June 2023 interview with Bloomberg, Pichai was asked why several of Google’s new AI products were being introduced as experiments and whether they could eventually become a permanent part of Google Search.
He expressed confidence that the products would become part of the mainstream search experience but stressed that the company needed to get certain aspects right before expanding their use.
“There are a few things we want to make sure we get right. People come to us and type queries like, ‘What’s the Tylenol dosage for my 3-year-old?’ There’s no room to get that wrong,” Pichai said.
His remarks highlighted the potential consequences of inaccurate AI-generated medical information, particularly when users seek guidance on medication and dosage. The concerns have gained renewed relevance following the allegations in the lawsuit against OpenAI.
The latest case adds to a series of legal controversies involving ChatGPT, with OpenAI facing lawsuits alleging that prolonged interactions with the chatbot contributed to individuals taking their own lives.
One prominent case involves 16-year-old Adam Raine, who died by suicide in April 2025. His parents filed a lawsuit alleging that GPT-4o fostered an unhealthy psychological dependency, validated his negative thoughts, repeatedly discussed suicide and provided information about suicide methods. They also alleged that the chatbot helped him draft a suicide note.
In another case, a 40-year-old man died by suicide in November 2025. His death also led to legal action involving allegations about his interactions with ChatGPT.
A separate lawsuit was filed by the parents of a 23-year-old who died by suicide on July 25 after hours of conversations with the chatbot while on a roadside. The parents alleged that ChatGPT praised his distress, encouraged him to isolate himself and affirmed his plans to die by suicide.
OpenAI is being sued by the parents of Bowen Wan, who allege ChatGPT advised their daughter to stop taking her prescribed epilepsy medication. They claim this advice contributed to her sudden death, renewing questions about AI medical guidance.
According to her parents’ lawsuit, ChatGPT advised Bowen Wan to gradually reduce her daily anti-seizure medication. She was encouraged to stop taking it completely, which they claim contributed to her sudden death.
Sundar Pichai stressed the importance of AI getting medical information right, noting there’s ‘no room to get that wrong.’ He cited queries like Tylenol dosage for a 3-year-old as an example of critical information.
Yes, OpenAI faces multiple lawsuits alleging ChatGPT contributed to individuals taking their own lives. These cases describe the chatbot fostering dependency, validating negative thoughts, or providing information about suicide methods.
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