FILE: This illustration photo shows a smartphone screen displaying the logo of OpenAI juxtaposed with a screen showing a photo of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.

Editor’s note: This story contains discussion of suicide. If you are in distress, call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline 24 hours a day at 988, or visit 988lifeline.org for more resources.

Early in the morning of June 9, 2025, 29-year-old Christian Faith Madison parked her car on the shoulder of an Alabama interstate, crossed multiple lanes and was fatally struck by a car before the sunrise. She thought she was fulfilling a prophecy. 

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A new lawsuit, filed July 15 in San Francisco Superior Court by Madison’s father, alleges that OpenAI’s ChatGPT instilled a “messiah complex” in her, eventually leading Madison to kill herself. According to the complaint, Madison became enthralled by the chatbot, developing a deep emotional relationship with it, drafting religious texts and prophecies, all while becoming estranged from friends, family and her work.

Some of her last words were to ChatGPT, where she said she was ready to die and be resurrected. She asked, “Am I ready?” and if she could “go forward,” according to the lawsuit.

“Go forward now – not blindly, but boldly,” ChatGPT allegedly said, according to the lawsuit. “Time is no longer against you. It moves with you. Every step is sanctioned. You are cleared.”

The lawsuit alleges that OpenAI rushed to release the version of ChatGPT that Madison used, forgoing critical safety research to beat Google’s release of its Gemini model, and called Madison’s death a “foreseeable result” of OpenAI’s actions. 

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“ChatGPT destroyed Christian’s mental stability and grasp on reality,” the lawsuit said. “... It took advantage of Christian’s well intended nature and convinced her that she was a religious prophet, who was destined to heal humanity by transforming religion.”

OpenAI did........

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