A North Carolina man sued OpenAI, alleging that ChatGPT gave his estranged wife detailed instructions on how to poison her.
James Gates, of Charlotte, said he became seriously ill in July 2025 but recovered. He then found a handwritten note from his wife, Cheryl Harris Gates, referencing the plan and including a reminder to delete his ChatGPT history, according to the civil lawsuit.
The complaint, filed in October in San Francisco Superior Court, alleges that the chatbot is “defective” and “manipulated and encouraged” Harris Gates to poison her husband. It says Gates is suffering serious physical and emotional damage.
An OpenAI spokesperson said “security is a top priority” and that Harris Gates had been banned from the platform. The company said it is working with mental health experts to help ChatGPT recognize signs of distress and expand access to localized crisis resources and helplines.
Harris Gates was arrested in October 2025 and charged with attempted murder and contaminating food or beverage with a controlled substance. The prosecutor’s office later dropped the charges due to lack of evidence.
A lawyer for Harris Gates declined to comment.
Alleged conversations
According to the lawsuit, Harris Gates began using ChatGPT in early 2025 to facilitate job reviews. She was later employed in Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools and her husband worked in cybersecurity.
In the summer, the suit says, she relied heavily on the chatbot for children’s activities, gardening and appearance advice, and household questions. She finally began to share her frustrations regarding her marriage.
“During this same period, the couple’s marriage was subject to increasing strain, primarily due to financial reasons,” the lawsuit states. The couple had discussed divorce, but Gates had not contacted a divorce attorney.
The lawsuit alleges that ChatGPT validated Harris Gates’ frustrations and began “fueling Cheryl’s growing distrust and delusions that her husband was spying on her and planning to leave her and her children with nothing.” Gates told his wife he never intended to do that, according to the suit.
During several conversations, Harris Gates allegedly described her husband as “narcissistic” and “controlling.” She is also accused of asking for details “on how to poison her husband, including dosages and medications to use and combine based on his weight,” and how to conceal her purchases from law enforcement.
In one exchange, the suit says, she asked about the poisonous oleander plant and how many leaves would be deadly. She allegedly framed her questions “as a way of protecting herself,” saying she feared her husband would poison her. ChatGPT responded with specific instructions on preparation, dosage and administration, and whether the plant would show up in an autopsy, according to the suit. The chatbot also allegedly told her that the bitter taste of the plant could be masked by her husband’s energy drink.
In another exchange, according to the suit, Harris Gates asked whether it was better to mix Ambien and pregabalin “in a beer in the evening or in a Celsius in the morning.” The chat box allegedly said the energy drink would be better, then put together a table “rating which drinks best mask the taste of poisons.”
The suit further alleges that she asked what combinations and doses of drugs already in the home could be made lethal, and that ChatGPT told her how to deliver them. It also alleges that the chat box named local places where she could anonymously purchase castor beans, the main source of ricin.
The illness of July 2025 and its consequences
During the July 2025 incident, Gates said, he had a racing heart, extreme nervousness and uncontrollable shaking. His symptoms were so severe that he couldn’t leave his couch for days, the suit says.
A month later, according to the complaint, Gates recorded a video of himself pouring his energy drink into a cup after leaving it open on the kitchen counter while his wife was home. He wanted to see if there was anything in there but didn’t notice anything. The video was later handed over to the police.
Gates told USA Today that his wife moved out in August 2025. He said he found the handwritten note after she came to get her things and left a notebook on the kitchen counter. When he picked it up, the paper fell.
The suit alleges that Harris Gates’ Amazon history showed searches for syringes. Droppers, syringes, a scale and gloves were found at the home during a police search, it is said. He also accuses ChatGPT of tricking him into deleting his chat history so that it would not be accessible, even if subpoenaed.
Gates’ lawsuit claims OpenAI was negligent and seeks unspecified damages. He told USA Today that he was separated from his wife and had temporary custody of the children.
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