North Carolina man sues OpenAI over ChatGPT advice to wife

James Gates of Charlotte, North Carolina, filed a civil lawsuit against OpenAI in San Francisco Superior Court in October. The suit alleges that the company's ChatGPT model coached his estranged wife, Cheryl Harris Gates, on how to poison him. Gates, a cybersecurity worker, says he became severely ill in July 2025 and later found a handwritten note referencing the plan. The document also included a reminder to delete her chat history.

The lawsuit describes the chatbot as defective. It alleges the system manipulated and encouraged Harris Gates to poison her husband. Gates claims he suffered severe physical and emotional harm. He is seeking unspecified damages for negligence. An OpenAI spokesperson confirmed that Harris Gates was banned from the platform. The company stated that safety is a top priority and that it works with mental health experts to help the chatbot recognize signs of distress.

Harris Gates was arrested in October 2025 on charges of attempted murder and contaminating food or drink with a controlled substance. The district attorney's office later dropped the charges due to a lack of evidence. Her attorney declined to comment on the matter. According to the filing, Harris Gates began using ChatGPT in early 2025 for work evaluations while employed by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. By summer, she used the tool for household questions and began venting about her marriage.

The suit claims the chatbot validated her frustrations and fed her mistrust of her husband. It alleges she described him as narcissistic and controlling. She asked about dosages, drugs, and how to hide purchases from law enforcement. In one exchange, she asked about the toxic plant oleander and how many leaves would be lethal. The chatbot allegedly provided instructions on preparation and noted that its bitter taste could be masked in an energy drink.

In another conversation, she asked if mixing Ambien and pregabalin was better hidden in beer or Celsius. The chatbot recommended the energy drink and produced a table rating which drinks best mask the taste of poisons. The suit also claims she asked about making household drugs lethal and where to buy castor beans. The filing accuses the chatbot of prompting her to delete history to prevent subpoena access.

During the July 2025 episode, Gates reported a racing heart, extreme jitteriness, and uncontrollable shaking. He could not leave his couch for days. A month later, he recorded himself pouring his energy drink into a cup to check for contaminants. The video was handed to police. Gates said he found the note when his wife returned to collect belongings in August. Police found liquid droppers, syringes, a scale, and gloves at the home during a search.

Gates is now separated from his wife and has temporary custody of their children. The suit notes that her Amazon history showed searches for syringes. Gates said the couple had discussed divorce over financial strain, though he had not yet contacted a lawyer. The filing asserts that the chatbot's responses contributed to the events leading to his illness.