Pastor Sues OpenAI, Alleging ChatGPT Delayed Medical Care
A former Florida pastor, Scott Winters, has sued OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, alleging ChatGPT provided faulty advice that delayed treatment for a life-threatening blood clot.
San Francisco – A former Florida pastor has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, claiming that ChatGPT's advice delayed his treatment for a life-threatening pulmonary embolism. Scott Winters filed the suit in San Francisco Superior Court on Wednesday.
The complaint alleges that Winters consulted ChatGPT for health concerns over several months, but believes the AI chatbot provided faulty and dangerous advice. He claims this led him to delay seeking medical attention until he was admitted to intensive care in July 2025 with a massive blood clot in his lungs.
This case challenges a common defense within the consumer AI industry: that chatbots are informational tools and not substitutes for medical professionals. OpenAI introduced ChatGPT Health in January, allowing users to connect medical records and wellness data, but the company states it is not intended for diagnosis or treatment.
Winters' lawsuit accuses OpenAI and Altman of negligence and the unauthorized practice of medicine. He is seeking damages, stronger medical safeguards, and a court order blocking ChatGPT Health until independent evaluators deem it safe.