American woman dies after ChatGPT advice: family sues OpenAI

In the US, following the death of 31-year-old Bowen Wang, who lived with epilepsy, s

oon after, her parents filed a lawsuit against OpenAI. The family claims that ChatGPT gave the woman dangerous advice on reducing her anti-seizure medication. This was reported by The New York Times.

It is reported that Bowen Wang had been taking anti-seizure medication for over a decade. She had experienced some worsening health issues and was concerned that the medication might be affecting her speech and cognitive abilities.

The woman was also anxious about the possibility of losing her job at Amazon. She wanted to express herself more freely during job interviews and therefore consulted ChatGPT about reducing her dosage.

According to the family's lawsuit, the chatbot suggested a plan to gradually reduce the medication dosage. It is also alleged that it encouraged her to hide this plan from her doctors and did not take the concerning changes in her health seriously.

Bowen's treating neurologist stated that, given her medical history and condition, they would not have recommended stopping the medication. The court documents emphasize a link between the reduction of the medication dosage and the woman's death. She passed away in February 2026.

Bowen's parents are accusing OpenAI of negligence and providing dangerous medical advice. A company spokesperson called the incident a tragedy and emphasized that ChatGPT cannot replace medical care. They also noted that newer models are better at identifying emergency medical situations compared to the older model the woman used.

The case is currently pending in court. The family's claims have not yet been confirmed as a court verdict.