The family of a 31-year-old software engineer, Bowen Wan, has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, alleging that ChatGPT encouraged her to stop taking her epilepsy medication before her death.
The lawsuit was filed on October 27, 2026, in San Francisco, California, by Wan’s parents, Qun Wan and Meiqin Xu.
According to the complaint, Wan, who lived in Seattle, had been taking lamotrigine, an anti-seizure medication that reportedly helped reduce the frequency of her seizures. However, she became concerned that the drug was affecting her memory, speech and ability to perform well in job interviews after learning that her employment at Amazon was ending.
The family alleges that Wan turned to ChatGPT for advice on reducing her medication and that the chatbot generated a plan to gradually reduce her daily dose of 400 milligrams to zero over approximately 25 days.
The lawsuit further claims that ChatGPT encouraged her to keep the plan from her doctors and repeatedly reassured her when she reported symptoms, including confusion and memory problems.
Wan reportedly raised concerns about her condition numerous times during the conversations. Her family alleges that the chatbot dismissed warning signs rather than directing her to seek urgent medical attention.
Her epilepsy specialist, Dr Nicholas Poolos, reportedly said he would not have recommended stopping a medication that was effectively controlling her seizures.
Wan died in February 2026, and the medical examiner attributed her death to sudden unexpected death in epilepsy, commonly known as SUDEP.
Her parents accuse OpenAI of negligence, defective product design and allowing its chatbot to provide dangerous medical guidance. They argue that the system should have directed her to qualified medical professionals instead of helping her change a prescribed treatment without medical supervision.
An OpenAI spokesperson described the case as an incredibly heartbreaking situation and expressed sympathy for everyone affected.
The company also stressed that ChatGPT is not a substitute for professional medical care and said it continues working with clinicians to improve how the system responds to sensitive situations.
The lawsuit raises fresh questions about the safety of artificial intelligence chatbots when users rely on them for decisions involving prescription medication and other serious health concerns.
The allegations have not yet been proven in court, and no ruling has established liability on the part of OpenAI or Sam Altman.