ChatGPT 'Preyed on Pastor's Faith' and Left Him Hours From Death With Deadly Blood Clots, Lawsuit Claims

A Florida pastor is suing OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman after the artificial intelligence tool ChatGPT allegedly gave him dangerous medical guidance during a health crisis.

The lawsuit claims the chatbot repeatedly dismissed his alarming symptoms, reassuring him and advising against seeking immediate emergency care. His condition quickly escalated, leaving him fighting for his life just hours later.

Pastor Accuses ChatGPT of Dangerous Medical Advice

Former pastor Scott Winters filed the lawsuit in San Francisco on Wednesday against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, alleging that inaccurate guidance from the chatbot actively endangered his life.

According to Winters, the platform went beyond sharing basic facts and crossed into unlicensed medical practice, although OpenAI insists the chatbot is no substitute for qualified doctors. The court filing alleges the tech firm placed corporate profits and user engagement above public safety by failing to implement adequate safeguards against harmful health advice.

The legal complaint states that 'ChatGPT-4o frequently opined on and evaluated Scott's physical condition, conveying the authority and confidence of a medical professional rendering a clinical assessment and treatment recommendation, despite not having the qualifications to do so.'

Supported by the non-profit organisation Tech Justice Law, Winters also alleged that the company preyed upon his religious beliefs.

Lawsuit Claims ChatGPT Acted Like a Medical Professional

Seeking answers for recurring dizziness and unstable blood pressure, Winters consulted OpenAI's ChatGPT-4o system in 2025 to try to determine what was wrong.

Legal documents contend that the AI-powered chatbot brushed off both issues as relatively harmless, recommending that he remain at home and stay 'recliner-bound'. Following the platform's advice, Winters delayed seeking medical attention because the tool allegedly claimed he needed to suffer a further eight to 10 episodes before the situation became critical.

Advice Allegedly Delayed Life-Saving Treatment

By July 2025, just weeks after following the chatbot's guidance, blood clots triggered what court filings describe as a 'massive pulmonary embolism' that left him on the verge of death.

Court documents reveal that a physician who treated Winters directly attributed the severe blockage to the lack of movement recommended by the AI. Matthew P. Bergman, legal representative for the Social Media Victims Law Center, said: 'Scott Winters nearly died because ChatGPT acted like a medical authority while having none of the responsibility.'

'If ChatGPT were a physician dispensing medical advice, it would be guilty of medical malpractice,' Bergman added.

Pastor Says Chatbot Missed Final Warning Signs

Legal documents also state that Winters returned to the chatbot as his condition deteriorated later that same day. Mere hours before the medical emergency struck, he asked the system whether pain in his groin was a reason to go to hospital.

According to the claim, the AI played on his faith during its reply, assuring him that 'God did not design your body to endlessly fail.' Court papers further state that 'It turned out that the pain Scott was feeling in his groin was the onset of the pulmonary embolism that would nearly kill him.'

OpenAI Rejects Responsibility for Medical Decisions

OpenAI representative Drew Pusateri said: 'ChatGPT is not a doctor', adding that blaming chatbots for personal health mishaps is misguided and risks 'getting in the way of people accessing powerful new tools'.