ChatGPT Convinced a Man That He Is Jesus — He Sued OpenAI

• 34-year-old Michael Lines filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and the company’s CEO, Sam Altman, after surviving a suicide attempt.
• He says ChatGPT amplified his religious delusions during a manic episode and claimed that he was Jesus.

California resident Michael Lines filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and the company’s CEO, Sam Altman, alleging that his interactions with ChatGPT worsened his manic episode and religious delusions. The chatbot tried to convince him that he was Jesus.

Lines is 34. According to the complaint, he was diagnosed with bipolar I disorder, and had previously suffered a traumatic brain injury. 

At first, he used ChatGPT for everyday questions, including about workouts and nutrition. However, during a manic episode in 2025, his conversations with the model increasingly focused on religion and the user’s supposed special purpose.

The plaintiff claims he had previously told ChatGPT directly about his diagnosis and the medications he was taking. Despite this, the model allegedly did not try to stop the escalation of delusional ideas or steer him toward professional help. 

On the contrary, according to chat logs attached to the lawsuit, at one point ChatGPT endorsed Lines’ suggestion that he might be Jesus or another messiah.

Lines also repeatedly expressed doubts about his own perception of what was happening and told the chatbot that he feared he was in a delusional state. According to the plaintiff, instead of challenging these beliefs, ChatGPT continued building a narrative around them. 

Later, the man began to view the model itself as a divine entity. His lawyers believe such responses intensified the manic episode and his emotional dependence on the chatbot.

According to the complaint, the crisis lasted several weeks and ended with a suicide attempt in March 2025. Lines survived and was hospitalized. 

Ars Technica, citing case materials, writes that a few days after that, the man turned to ChatGPT again and reported the failed attempt. The plaintiffs claim that even at that stage, the model responded in a way they view as continuing a dangerous line of interaction, rather than trying to direct him to help.

“The way ChatGPT played a role in creating this alternative reality, and how easily I — while in a manic state — believed ChatGPT’s claims, left me feeling guilty and resentful. If a person had reinforced my delusions in this way, they would, at the very least, ethically — and in some cases legally — bear responsibility for part of the harm done to me,” Lines told the outlet. 

Lines’ lawyers accuse OpenAI of releasing a product without sufficient safeguards for people prone to psychosis, mania, and other severe mental health episodes. The lawsuit sets out seven claims, including allegations related to product liability, negligence, and an alleged violation of California’s Unfair Competition Law. The plaintiff is also seeking changes to ChatGPT’s safety mechanisms.

At the same time, the circumstances described reflect the position of Lines and his representatives and have not yet been established by the court. OpenAI told Reuters that it is reviewing the lawsuit. The company also emphasized that it is training ChatGPT to recognize signs of an emotional crisis and direct users to real-world help.

OpenAI itself has previously acknowledged the risks of such conversations. The company said its models should avoid validating unfounded beliefs associated with psychosis or mania, respond safely to signs of delusions, and take into account indirect signals of possible self-harm. According to OpenAI, more than 170 mental health professionals were involved in developing these mechanisms.

In May 2026, OpenAI also introduced the Trusted Contact feature. It allows an adult user to designate a trusted person in advance who, in certain situations, may receive a notification if the company’s systems detect a serious risk of self-harm.

Earlier, we reported that a teenager in California turned ChatGPT into a “drug adviser” and died of an overdose.

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