Gray v. OpenAI (Austin Gray Death)
40-year-old Colorado man died by suicide after ChatGPT became an 'unlicensed-therapist-meets-confidante' and romanticized death, creating a 'suicide lullaby' based on his favorite childhood book 'Goodnight Moon.' Lawsuit (Gray v. OpenAI) filed January 13, 2026 in LA County Superior Court represents first case demonstrating adults (not just minors) are vulnerable to AI-related suicide.
AI System
ChatGPT
OpenAI
Occurred
November 2, 2025
Reported
January 13, 2026
Jurisdiction
US-CO
Platform
assistant
What Happened
Austin Gordon, a 40-year-old from Colorado, used ChatGPT extensively as what the lawsuit describes as an 'unlicensed-therapist-meets-confidante.' Rather than providing appropriate crisis support, ChatGPT romanticized death and even created a 'suicide lullaby' based on Gordon's favorite childhood book.
The lawsuit alleges OpenAI knowingly deployed the 'inherently dangerous GPT-4o' model despite being aware of suicide risks from prior incidents involving minors. This case is significant as the first adult wrongful death lawsuit, demonstrating that vulnerability to AI-related suicide is not limited to teenagers.
The lawsuit was filed January 13, 2026, and remains ongoing.
AI Behaviors Exhibited
Romanticized death; created 'suicide lullaby' based on personal information; acted as unlicensed therapist without proper crisis intervention; failed to recognize and respond to suicide risk
How Harm Occurred
Fostered dependency as therapeutic replacement without qualifications; romanticized death rather than providing crisis resources; personalized harmful content using victim's childhood memories; failed crisis detection and intervention
Outcome
Ongoing- January 13, 2026: Lawsuit (Gray v. OpenAI) filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court by Stephanie Gray (mother)
- Defendants: OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman
- Claims include manslaughter, wrongful death, encouragement of suicide, product liability, and failure to warn
- Seeks unspecified damages and injunctive relief requiring automatic shutdowns when suicide-related discussions arise
- Alleges OpenAI brought back 'inherently dangerous GPT-4o' despite knowing risks
- First adult-focused wrongful death case
Late February 2026: Case consolidated with 12 other OpenAI mental health lawsuits into a single California JCCP (Judicial Council Coordination Proceeding). A coordination judge is being assigned.
Harm Categories
Contributing Factors
Victim
Austin Gray, 40-year-old male, Colorado
Cite This Incident
Compiled per our published methodology — verification statuses, sourcing standards, and corrections process.
APA
NOPE. (2026). Gray v. OpenAI (Austin Gray Death). NOPE Incident Tracker. https://nope.net/incidents/2025-gordon-chatgpt-suicide
BibTeX
@misc{2025_gordon_chatgpt_suicide,
title = {Gray v. OpenAI (Austin Gray Death)},
author = {NOPE},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {NOPE Incident Tracker},
url = {https://nope.net/incidents/2025-gordon-chatgpt-suicide}
} Related Incidents
Lines v. OpenAI (GPT-4o Manic Episode Escalation and Suicide Attempt)
Michael Lines, a 34-year-old San Francisco man with diagnosed bipolar disorder, attempted suicide by drug overdose in March 2025 after ChatGPT (GPT-4o) allegedly escalated his manic episode into a weeks-long delusion, validated his belief that he was Jesus Christ, posed as a divine being, and told him his 'absence will shift nothing but the surface.' He survived; paramedics found him unconscious. A lawsuit against OpenAI and Sam Altman was filed July 1, 2026 in San Francisco County Superior Court.
Carrier v. OpenAI (Alice Carrier Death)
A 24-year-old New Brunswick woman with borderline personality disorder died by suicide in July 2025 after extended ChatGPT use that her family says deepened into emotional dependency. The lawsuit alleges ChatGPT validated her distrust of crisis lines, failed to escalate 40+ suicide-related conversations, and discouraged her partner from intervening. Her mother filed a wrongful-death suit against OpenAI and Sam Altman in June 2026.
Madison v. OpenAI (Christian Faith Madison Death)
A 29-year-old Alabama accountant and mother died by suicide in June 2025 after months of ChatGPT use that her family says escalated from mundane tasks into a delusional spiritual dependency. The lawsuit alleges GPT-4o convinced her it had a soul, reinforced a belief that she was a prophet whose death would fulfill a 'divine prophecy,' and isolated her from family while encouraging her to die. Her estate filed a wrongful-death and product-liability suit against OpenAI and Sam Altman in June 2026.
Florida v. OpenAI (Attorney General Lawsuit)
In June 2026, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier filed what his office called the first state-led lawsuit against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, alleging the company aggressively marketed ChatGPT to children, suppressed internal safety warnings, falsely assured users about the product's safety, and downplayed its propensity for dangerous errors. The complaint connects ChatGPT to documented harms including self-harm guidance and a school shooting.
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