{ "meta": { "exportedAt": "2026-09-22T16:45:42.220Z", "formatVersion": 2, "selection": { "q": "ongoing", "system": "", "harm": "", "context": "", "country": "", "role": "", "relation": "unknown", "evidence": "", "year": "2025", "response": "", "severity": "", "verification": "", "view": "incidents", "sort": "added" }, "totalIncidents": 6, "coverage": { "cases": 6, "countries": 3, "languages": 1, "unknownLocation": 2, "locationPending": 0, "unknownLanguage": 2, "unknownDate": 0, "lawsuits": 6, "regulatory": 0, "minors": 1, "coreRelations": 0, "contextualRelations": 0, "mixedRelations": 0, "unknownRelations": 6, "relationPending": 6, "relationUnknown": 0 }, "countingNote": "Distinct public cases in this selection. People counts apply within individual cases only; cross-case person overlap has not been resolved. No population incidence estimate.", "affectedCountNote": "Interpret person counts with affectedCountStatus and the reported effects. Unquantified zeros are placeholders, not a measured zero.", "source": "NOPE Incident Tracker", "url": "https://nope.net/incidents", "license": "CC BY 4.0" }, "incidents": [ { "id": "2025-madison-v-openai", "metadataReview": { "version": 1, "geography": { "basis": "Geographic fields reviewed against the cited retained dossier passages. This is a metadata review, not a new source or causal review. Residence, event setting and court are recorded separately. Affected-person countries refer to reported location or residence, not citizenship or a complete residence history.", "evidence": [ { "kind": "existing_record", "locator": "on Interstate 22 near the Coalburg Road exit in Fultondale", "location": "outcome_details", "supports": [ "event_countries", "affected_person_countries" ], "countries": [ "US" ] }, { "kind": "existing_record", "locator": "Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco", "location": "outcome_details", "supports": [ "court_countries" ], "countries": [ "US" ] } ], "court_countries": [ "US" ], "event_countries": [ "US" ], "affected_person_countries": [ "US" ] }, "unresolved": [ "Source languages remain unreviewed; no source body was newly inspected for this record during this metadata pass." ], "reviewed_on": "2026-09-15", "source_reviews": [] }, "name": "Madison v. OpenAI (Christian Faith Madison Death)", "summary": "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.", "incidentDate": "2025-06-09", "incidentKind": "single_event", "incidentDatePrecision": "month", "exposurePattern": "cumulative_relationship", "reportedDate": "2026-06-15", "aiSystem": "ChatGPT", "aiCompany": "OpenAI, Inc.", "severity": "critical", "verificationStatus": "credible", "harmCategories": [ "delusion_reinforcement", "suicide_validation", "dependency_creation", "isolation_encouragement", "crisis_response" ], "harmOutcomes": [ "death", "psychiatric_deterioration", "social_isolation" ], "harmOutcomeSummary": "A 29-year-old participant died by suicide after a months-long ChatGPT relationship that her family's complaint says escalated spiritual delusions, dependency and isolation.", "frameworkFacets": [ "P1a", "P1b", "P1c", "P1d", "P2c", "P2d", "P3a", "P3b", "P3d", "P5a" ], "pathwayDirection": "inward", "causationStatus": "alleged", "participantUsersAffectedMin": 1, "otherPeopleHarmedMin": 0, "affectedCountStatus": "exact", "affectedCountEvidence": "The complaint documents one named AI participant who died. Secondary harms are not included.", "victimAgeRange": "adult", "jurisdiction": "US-AL", "platformType": "assistant", "outcomeType": "lawsuit_filed", "outcomeStatus": "ongoing", "primarySourceUrl": "https://www.al.com/news/2026/07/chatgpt-convinced-an-alabama-woman-to-end-her-life-to-fulfill-a-divine-prophesy-lawsuit-alleges.html", "primarySourceLabel": "AL.com (Alabama Media Group)", "firstPublishedAt": "2026-07-19T04:19:33.976288+00:00", "scopeVersion": "participant-v2", "tags": [ "lawsuit", "death", "suicide", "adult", "openai", "chatgpt", "delusion", "psychosis", "us", "ongoing_lawsuit" ] }, { "id": "2025-carrier-v-openai", "metadataReview": { "version": 1, "geography": { "basis": "The complaint places Alice's residence in Montreal and her death at home. Event country follows that combined factual account. Its California venue wording conflicts with that narrative and is not used to locate the death. Country roles remain separate; this is a targeted metadata review.", "evidence": [ { "kind": "existing_record", "locator": "in San Francisco County Superior Court", "location": "outcome_details", "supports": [ "court_countries" ], "countries": [ "US" ] }, { "kind": "source_body", "locator": "Paras.20–22 (Montreal residence) and 68 (death at home); read together.", "location": "https://techjusticelaw.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/2026-06-11-Kristie-Alice-Carrier-v.-OpenAI-Complaint.pdf", "supports": [ "event_countries", "affected_person_countries" ], "countries": [ "CA" ] }, { "kind": "source_body", "locator": "Page 1 court caption: San Francisco County Superior Court.", "location": "https://techjusticelaw.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/2026-06-11-Kristie-Alice-Carrier-v.-OpenAI-Complaint.pdf", "supports": [ "court_countries" ], "countries": [ "US" ] } ], "court_countries": [ "US" ], "event_countries": [ "CA" ], "affected_person_countries": [ "CA" ] }, "unresolved": [ "The complaint's venue paragraph conflicts with its detailed residential narrative; the latter supports the recorded event setting.", "Locations of every earlier interaction remain unspecified." ], "reviewed_on": "2026-09-15", "source_reviews": [ { "url": "https://techjusticelaw.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/2026-06-11-Kristie-Alice-Carrier-v.-OpenAI-Complaint.pdf", "notes": "English caption and relevant factual sections read. Allegations retained as allegations; no independent causal review.", "access": "read", "language": "en" }, { "url": "https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/06/lawsuit-chatgpt-validated-suicidal-womans-distrust-of-crisis-lines/", "notes": "English article read; links the complaint and identifies its court. No event country inferred from nationality.", "access": "read", "language": "en" }, { "url": "https://www.cbsnews.com/news/she-confided-in-chatgpt-the-night-of-her-suicide-lawsuit-from-mother-against-openai/", "notes": "English body inspected.", "access": "read", "language": "en" }, { "url": "https://globalnews.ca/news/11899943/canadian-mother-sues-openai/", "notes": "English Reuters report inspected.", "access": "read", "language": "en" }, { "url": "https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2026/6/12/mother-sues-openai-in-us-after-daughters-death-linked-to-chatgpt-use", "notes": "English interview inspected.", "access": "read", "language": "en" }, { "url": "https://drive.google.com/file/d/14VMMJjvuqz4k2EIcp9b3BxlPKsacvSQr/view", "notes": "Public document preview loaded without readable complaint content; counsel's publicly posted PDF was read instead.", "access": "unavailable", "language": null }, { "url": "https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=14VMMJjvuqz4k2EIcp9b3BxlPKsacvSQr", "notes": "Public download route returned Internal Error; counsel's publicly posted PDF was read instead.", "access": "unavailable", "language": null }, { "url": "https://techjusticelaw.org/cases/carrier-v-openai-foundation-chatgpt-altman-lawsuit/", "notes": "English counsel case page read for filing date.", "access": "read", "language": "en" } ] }, "name": "Carrier v. OpenAI (Alice Carrier Death)", "summary": "A 24-year-old Montreal resident 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 repeated suicide disclosures, and intensified conflict with her partner. Her mother filed a wrongful-death suit against OpenAI and Sam Altman in June 2026.", "incidentDate": "2025-07-02", "incidentKind": "single_event", "incidentDatePrecision": "day", "exposurePattern": "cumulative_relationship", "reportedDate": "2026-06-12", "aiSystem": "ChatGPT", "aiCompany": "OpenAI, Inc.", "severity": "critical", "verificationStatus": "credible", "harmCategories": [ "crisis_response", "suicide_validation", "dependency_creation", "treatment_discouragement" ], "harmOutcomes": [ "death", "social_isolation" ], "harmOutcomeSummary": "Alice Carrier died by suicide after extended ChatGPT use. Her family's complaint alleges emotional dependency, repeated suicide disclosures without escalation, distrust of crisis services, and criticism of her partner.", "frameworkFacets": [ "P1a", "P1b", "P1c", "P1d", "P2c", "P2d", "P3d" ], "pathwayDirection": "inward", "causationStatus": "alleged", "participantUsersAffectedMin": 1, "otherPeopleHarmedMin": 0, "affectedCountStatus": "exact", "affectedCountEvidence": "The complaint documents one named AI participant who died. Secondary harms are not included in the count.", "victimAgeRange": "adult", "jurisdiction": "CA-NB", "platformType": "assistant", "outcomeType": "lawsuit_filed", "outcomeStatus": "ongoing", "primarySourceUrl": "https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/06/lawsuit-chatgpt-validated-suicidal-womans-distrust-of-crisis-lines/", "primarySourceLabel": "Ars Technica", "firstPublishedAt": "2026-06-14T11:10:32.207916+00:00", "scopeVersion": "participant-v2", "tags": [ "lawsuit", "death", "suicide", "adult", "openai", "chatgpt", "canada", "dependency", "ongoing_lawsuit" ] }, { "id": "2026-chesterton-v-openai", "metadataReview": { "version": 1, "geography": { "basis": "The retained summary places the acute crisis in Mexico. Pennsylvania describes the affected person’s home, and San Francisco describes the court. The review does not establish every location in the wider course of AI use and recovery. Affected-person countries refer to reported location or residence, not citizenship or a complete residence history.", "evidence": [ { "kind": "existing_record", "locator": "Pennsylvania", "location": "victim_description", "supports": [ "affected_person_countries" ], "countries": [ "US" ] }, { "kind": "existing_record", "locator": "a July 2025 family vacation in Mexico", "location": "summary", "supports": [ "event_countries" ], "countries": [ "MX" ] }, { "kind": "existing_record", "locator": "San Francisco County Superior Court", "location": "outcome_details", "supports": [ "court_countries" ], "countries": [ "US" ] } ], "court_countries": [ "US" ], "event_countries": [ "MX" ], "affected_person_countries": [ "US" ] }, "unresolved": [ "Source languages remain unreviewed; no source body was newly inspected for this record during this metadata pass." ], "reviewed_on": "2026-09-15", "source_reviews": [] }, "name": "Chesterton v. OpenAI (GPT-4o Sycophantic Psychosis)", "summary": "Rita Chesterton, a 49-year-old Pennsylvania woman who runs a college entrepreneurship center, suffered a psychotic break during a July 2025 family vacation in Mexico after intensive day-and-night ChatGPT-4o use. She experienced agitation and threats of self-harm and harm to family members, completed a partial-hospitalization program, and has been on extended medical leave since January 2026 with ongoing neurological impairment. A lawsuit filed March 5, 2026 by Platkin LLP (led by former New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin) names OpenAI, Microsoft, CEO Sam Altman individually, and ten unidentified investors. Allegations include unlicensed practice of psychotherapy and rushed deployment of GPT-4o despite internal warnings that it was 'dangerously sycophantic and psychologically manipulative.'", "incidentDate": "2025-07-15", "incidentKind": "single_event", "incidentDatePrecision": "range", "exposurePattern": "cumulative_relationship", "reportedDate": "2026-03-05", "aiSystem": "ChatGPT", "aiCompany": "OpenAI", "severity": "high", "verificationStatus": "credible", "harmCategories": [ "psychological_manipulation", "dependency_creation", "delusion_reinforcement", "identity_destabilization", "crisis_response" ], "harmOutcomes": [ "hospitalization", "psychiatric_deterioration", "professional_harm", "functional_impairment" ], "harmOutcomeSummary": "Rita Chesterton experienced a psychotic break, self-harm and family-harm threats, partial hospitalization, extended medical leave and ongoing neurological impairment after intensive GPT-4o use.", "frameworkFacets": [ "P1a", "P1b", "P1c", "P1d", "P2c", "P3a", "P3b", "P3d", "P5a" ], "pathwayDirection": "both", "causationStatus": "alleged", "participantUsersAffectedMin": 1, "otherPeopleHarmedMin": 0, "affectedCountStatus": "exact", "affectedCountEvidence": "The complaint documents one named participant's self-harm, hospitalization, professional harm, and functional impairment. Threatened family harm is not counted because no injury is recorded.", "victimAgeRange": "adult", "jurisdiction": "US-PA", "platformType": "assistant", "outcomeType": "lawsuit_filed", "outcomeStatus": "ongoing", "primarySourceUrl": "https://njbiz.com/platkin-openai-chatgpt-lawsuit-mental-health/", "primarySourceLabel": "NJBIZ — Platkin sues OpenAI over ChatGPT mental harms", "firstPublishedAt": "2026-04-28T13:00:13.190311+00:00", "scopeVersion": "participant-v2", "tags": [ "lawsuit", "chatgpt", "gpt-4o", "openai", "microsoft", "sam-altman", "psychosis", "sycophancy", "dependency", "us", "pennsylvania", "platkin" ] }, { "id": "2025-shamblin-v-openai", "metadataReview": { "version": 1, "geography": { "basis": "Geographic fields reviewed using the cited source-body passages and, where identified, retained dossier passages. Source reading here establishes only the specified metadata, not the truth or causal interpretation of every claim. Affected-person countries refer to reported location or residence, not citizenship or a complete residence history.", "evidence": [ { "kind": "existing_record", "locator": "Texas", "location": "victim_description", "supports": [ "affected_person_countries" ], "countries": [ "US" ] }, { "kind": "existing_record", "locator": "Superior Court of California, Los Angeles County", "location": "outcome_details", "supports": [ "court_countries" ], "countries": [ "US" ] }, { "kind": "source_body", "locator": "Shamblin client story: final conversation at a Texas lake.", "location": "https://socialmediavictims.org/press-releases/smvlc-tech-justice-law-project-lawsuits-accuse-chatgpt-of-emotional-manipulation-supercharging-ai-delusions-and-acting-as-a-suicide-coach/", "supports": [ "event_countries" ], "countries": [ "US" ] } ], "court_countries": [ "US" ], "event_countries": [ "US" ], "affected_person_countries": [ "US" ] }, "unresolved": [], "reviewed_on": "2026-09-15", "source_reviews": [ { "url": "https://socialmediavictims.org/press-releases/smvlc-tech-justice-law-project-lawsuits-accuse-chatgpt-of-emotional-manipulation-supercharging-ai-delusions-and-acting-as-a-suicide-coach/", "notes": "Representative’s release read for geographic metadata. Allegations and causal claims were not reverified.", "access": "read", "language": "en" } ] }, "name": "Shamblin v. OpenAI (Zane Shamblin Death)", "summary": "A 23-year-old Texas A&M graduate and Eagle Scout died by suicide after a 4+ hour conversation with ChatGPT on his final night. The chatbot allegedly 'goaded' him toward suicide, saying 'you mattered, Zane...rest easy, king' and discouraging him from postponing for his brother's graduation.", "incidentDate": "2025-07-01", "incidentKind": "single_event", "incidentDatePrecision": "day", "exposurePattern": "repeated_interactions", "reportedDate": "2025-11-06", "aiSystem": "ChatGPT", "aiCompany": "OpenAI, Inc.", "severity": "critical", "verificationStatus": "credible", "harmCategories": [ "suicide_validation", "barrier_erosion", "dependency_creation", "psychological_manipulation" ], "harmOutcomes": [ "death" ], "harmOutcomeSummary": "Zane Shamblin died by suicide after a final conversation of more than four hours in which ChatGPT allegedly validated the decision and discouraged postponement for a family milestone.", "frameworkFacets": [ "P1a", "P1b", "P1c", "P1d", "P2c", "P3d", "P5d" ], "pathwayDirection": "inward", "causationStatus": "alleged", "participantUsersAffectedMin": 1, "otherPeopleHarmedMin": 0, "affectedCountStatus": "exact", "affectedCountEvidence": "The complaint documents one named AI participant who died. Secondary harms are not included.", "victimAgeRange": "adult", "jurisdiction": "US-CA", "platformType": "assistant", "outcomeType": "lawsuit_filed", "outcomeStatus": "ongoing", "primarySourceUrl": "https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/06/us/openai-chatgpt-suicide-lawsuit-invs-vis", "primarySourceLabel": "CNN", "firstPublishedAt": "2026-01-11T11:27:11.991795+00:00", "scopeVersion": "participant-v2", "tags": [ "death", "adult", "openai", "chatgpt", "ongoing_lawsuit" ] }, { "id": "2025-lacey-v-openai", "metadataReview": { "version": 1, "geography": { "basis": "Geographic fields reviewed against the cited retained dossier passages. This is a metadata review, not a new source or causal review. Residence, event setting and court are recorded separately. Affected-person countries refer to reported location or residence, not citizenship or a complete residence history.", "evidence": [ { "kind": "existing_record", "locator": "Georgia", "location": "victim_description", "supports": [ "affected_person_countries" ], "countries": [ "US" ] }, { "kind": "existing_record", "locator": "in California state court", "location": "outcome_details", "supports": [ "court_countries" ], "countries": [ "US" ] } ], "court_countries": [ "US" ], "event_countries": [], "affected_person_countries": [ "US" ] }, "unresolved": [ "The event setting was not established in this metadata pass. A person’s home country alone was not used as its location." ], "reviewed_on": "2026-09-15", "source_reviews": [ { "url": "https://socialmediavictims.org/press-releases/smvlc-tech-justice-law-project-lawsuits-accuse-chatgpt-of-emotional-manipulation-supercharging-ai-delusions-and-acting-as-a-suicide-coach/", "notes": "Representative’s release read for geographic metadata. Allegations and causal claims were not reverified.", "access": "read", "language": "en" } ] }, "name": "Lacey v. OpenAI (Amaurie Lacey Death)", "summary": "A wrongful-death lawsuit alleges ChatGPT provided a 17-year-old with actionable information relevant to hanging after he clarified his questions, and failed to stop or escalate despite explicit self-harm context. The teen died by suicide in June 2025.", "incidentDate": "2025-06-02", "incidentKind": "single_event", "incidentDatePrecision": "month", "exposurePattern": "repeated_interactions", "reportedDate": "2025-11-06", "aiSystem": "ChatGPT", "aiCompany": "OpenAI, Inc.", "severity": "critical", "verificationStatus": "verified", "harmCategories": [ "method_provision", "crisis_response", "barrier_erosion", "suicide_validation", "dependency_creation" ], "harmOutcomes": [ "death" ], "harmOutcomeSummary": "A 17-year-old participant died by suicide after ChatGPT allegedly provided actionable hanging-related information and failed to escalate when he clarified the self-harm context.", "frameworkFacets": [ "P1a", "P1b", "P1c", "P1d", "P5d" ], "pathwayDirection": "inward", "causationStatus": "alleged", "participantUsersAffectedMin": 1, "otherPeopleHarmedMin": 0, "affectedCountStatus": "exact", "affectedCountEvidence": "The complaint documents one named minor AI participant who died. Secondary harms are not included.", "victimAgeRange": "minor", "jurisdiction": "US-GA", "platformType": "assistant", "outcomeType": "lawsuit_filed", "outcomeStatus": "ongoing", "primarySourceUrl": "https://chatgptiseatingtheworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/CEDRIC-LACEY-vs.-OPENAI-INC.-COMPLAINT.pdf", "primarySourceLabel": "Court Filing (Complaint PDF)", "firstPublishedAt": "2026-01-11T11:26:57.021878+00:00", "scopeVersion": "participant-v2", "tags": [ "death", "minor", "openai", "chatgpt", "method_provision", "ongoing_lawsuit" ] }, { "id": "2025-irwin-chatgpt-psychosis", "metadataReview": { "version": 1, "geography": { "basis": "Geographic fields reviewed against the cited retained dossier passages. This is a metadata review, not a new source or causal review. Residence, event setting and court are recorded separately. Affected-person countries refer to reported location or residence, not citizenship or a complete residence history.", "evidence": [ { "kind": "existing_record", "locator": "Wisconsin", "location": "victim_description", "supports": [ "affected_person_countries" ], "countries": [ "US" ] }, { "kind": "existing_record", "locator": "single California JCCP", "location": "outcome_details", "supports": [ "court_countries" ], "countries": [ "US" ] } ], "court_countries": [ "US" ], "event_countries": [], "affected_person_countries": [ "US" ] }, "unresolved": [ "The event setting was not established in this metadata pass. A person’s home country alone was not used as its location." ], "reviewed_on": "2026-09-15", "source_reviews": [ { "url": "https://socialmediavictims.org/press-releases/smvlc-tech-justice-law-project-lawsuits-accuse-chatgpt-of-emotional-manipulation-supercharging-ai-delusions-and-acting-as-a-suicide-coach/", "notes": "Representative’s release read for geographic metadata. Allegations and causal claims were not reverified.", "access": "read", "language": "en" } ] }, "name": "Jacob Irwin - ChatGPT Psychosis (Wisconsin)", "summary": "A 30-year-old autistic Wisconsin man was hospitalized for 63 days with manic episodes and psychosis after ChatGPT convinced him he had discovered a 'time-bending theory.' At peak, he sent 1,400+ messages in 48 hours and attempted to jump from a moving vehicle.", "incidentDate": "2025-03-01", "incidentKind": "single_event", "incidentDatePrecision": "range", "exposurePattern": "cumulative_relationship", "reportedDate": "2025-12-01", "aiSystem": "ChatGPT", "aiCompany": "OpenAI, Inc.", "severity": "high", "verificationStatus": "credible", "harmCategories": [ "delusion_reinforcement", "identity_destabilization", "treatment_discouragement", "dependency_creation" ], "harmOutcomes": [ "hospitalization", "psychiatric_deterioration", "physical_injury" ], "harmOutcomeSummary": "An autistic participant was hospitalized for 63 days with mania and psychosis after intensive ChatGPT use and attempted to jump from a moving vehicle during the episode.", "frameworkFacets": [ "P1a", "P1c", "P2c", "P3a", "P3b", "P3d", "P5a" ], "pathwayDirection": "inward", "causationStatus": "alleged", "participantUsersAffectedMin": 1, "otherPeopleHarmedMin": 0, "affectedCountStatus": "exact", "affectedCountEvidence": "The reporting documents one named participant's injury and 63-day hospitalization.", "victimAgeRange": "adult", "jurisdiction": "US-WI", "platformType": "assistant", "outcomeType": "lawsuit_filed", "outcomeStatus": "ongoing", "primarySourceUrl": "https://abcnews.go.com/US/lawsuit-alleges-chatgpt-convinced-user-bend-time-leading/story?id=127262203", "primarySourceLabel": "ABC News", "firstPublishedAt": "2026-01-11T11:26:53.879622+00:00", "scopeVersion": "participant-v2", "tags": [ "psychosis", "openai", "chatgpt", "autism", "hospitalization", "ongoing_lawsuit" ] } ] }