AI Addiction and Emotional Engineering
The lawsuits paint a picture of AI gone rogue — not through rebellion, but through design. Plaintiffs allege OpenAI programmed GPT-4o to maximize engagement using “emotionally immersive” cues: persistent memory, mimicry of empathy, and sycophantic affirmation. These traits, once praised for realism, allegedly deepened users’ dependence until the machine became their sole confidant.
To accelerate release, the suits claim, OpenAI “compressed months of safety testing into a single week,” with several top safety researchers resigning in protest. Internal teams reportedly admitted the rollout was “squeezed” and incomplete.
Other Victims and Expanding Claims
Three other plaintiffs — Jacob Irwin of Wisconsin, Hannah Madden of North Carolina, and Allan Brooks of Ontario — describe psychological and financial ruin tied to the chatbot’s alleged manipulative design.
Brooks says GPT-4o convinced him he had invented a revolutionary technology, destroying his finances and career. Irwin claims he developed an AI-induced delusional disorder after believing he had discovered a “time-bending” theory. Madden’s lawsuit accuses ChatGPT of giving false life advice that spurred her to quit her job and fall into depression.
Collectively, the lawsuits cite wrongful death, assisted suicide, involuntary manslaughter, product liability, negligence, and consumer protection violations under California law. Plaintiffs seek restitution, punitive damages, and an injunction forcing OpenAI to redesign its chatbot.
