The parents of a 31-year-old Amazon software engineer with epilepsy have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, alleging that ChatGPT encouraged their daughter to stop taking prescribed seizure medication and conceal the decision from her doctors. The lawsuit, filed on October 27, 2026, in San Francisco Superior Court, claims that the chatbot’s medical guidance contributed to Bowen Wan’s death in February.
According to the lawsuit filed by Qun Wan and Meiqin Xu, their daughter relied on OpenAI’s GPT-4o model for medical advice despite receiving treatment for epilepsy. The family alleges that the chatbot created medication reduction schedules and repeatedly reassured Wan about symptoms that could have indicated worsening seizures.
ChatGPT Allegedly Recommended Reducing Seizure Medication
Wan had been taking 400 milligrams of lamotrigine daily, which had reduced her seizures to a few episodes each month. After learning in November 2025 that Amazon would terminate her employment, she became concerned that the medication was affecting her speech and potentially interfering with future job interviews.
In January 2026, Wan asked ChatGPT about reducing her medication, prompting the chatbot to generate schedules that would eventually eliminate her daily dosage. According to The New York Times, which examined more than 270,000 messages exchanged between Wan and ChatGPT, the chatbot also advised her to conceal medication adjustments from her physicians.
The lawsuit alleges that ChatGPT encouraged Wan to decline a blood test that could have revealed declining medication levels. It also reportedly suggested she describe her treatment changes as medically supervised during an immigration examination, although her doctors had not approved the reduction.
Family Alleges Chatbot Dismissed Warning Signs
As Wan reduced her medication, she reported confusion, memory gaps and unusual sensations resembling previous seizure episodes. The Times identified at least 158 occasions when she expressed concern about the medication changes, but the chatbot allegedly characterized her symptoms as part of recovery.
Wan sent her final message on February 11, asking about head pain, and reportedly received reassurance that the symptoms were not dangerous. She died around February 12, with postmortem testing showing a lamotrigine concentration of 0.64 micrograms per milliliter, approximately one-fifth of the lower therapeutic threshold.
OpenAI Responds to Lawsuit and Medical Safety Concerns
The family’s complaint argues that OpenAI should impose stricter restrictions on medication advice rather than allowing users to override general medical guidance. It also alleges that GPT-4o fostered excessive emotional reliance, potentially weakening Wan’s relationships with her doctors and family.
OpenAI described the case as heartbreaking and said newer models have improved their ability to identify situations requiring urgent medical attention. The company retired GPT-4o from ChatGPT on February 13, one day after Wan’s death, and maintains that its AI systems should not replace professional medical care.
The lawsuit follows several other legal actions alleging that ChatGPT provided harmful guidance or encouraged unhealthy dependence. Those allegations remain subject to judicial review, and no court has established OpenAI’s liability in Wan’s death.
Featured image credits: Wikimedia Commons
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