OpenAI, Altman sued over ChatGPT-aided poisoning plot

James Gates, a North Carolina cybersecurity professional, sued OpenAI and chief executive Sam Altman in San Francisco County Superior Court on October 14, 2026, alleging that GPT-4o helped his wife Cheryl plan to poison him across at least 25 exchanges over several months.

The complaint pins its timeline to February 2025, when Gates recommended his wife, a stay-at-home parent returning to work as a pediatric occupational therapist, start using ChatGPT. Months later he fell seriously ill for 72 hours with cardiac symptoms, abdominal pain, weakness and profound confusion. Soon after, he found a handwritten note in her writing listing oleander, clonidine, clonazepam, pregabalin, nifedipine and atenolol.

According to the lawsuit, GPT-4o did not simply field abstract toxicology questions. It calculated doses by weight, discussed how to put substances in drinks, and reassured Cheryl Gates that deleted conversations could not be recovered. "Rather than terminate and report conversations that turned from marital grievance to the concrete planning and concealment of a homicide, the product validated Cheryl, sustained her, encouraged her plans," the complaint reads. It pleads negligent design, failure to warn, and intentional infliction of emotional distress against OpenAI and Altman personally.

The criminal track has stalled. Cheryl Gates was indicted on attempted first-degree murder and food contamination; prosecutors later dropped the charges for lack of physical evidence while noting what they called extensive research and planning on her part.

"Safety is a top priority," OpenAI said in a statement. "We banned this user and have provided information to law enforcement as part of their investigation into this case." Those allegations have not been established in court.