[ChatGPT as an Accomplice to Murder? Man Accuses Wife of Using AI to Plan Poisoning Him] Beating AI News: James Gates, a man from North Carolina, is suing OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman, accusing ChatGPT of not only fueling his wife's suspicions but also helping her devise a poisoning plan and even instructing her on how to cover up evidence. According to the indictment, his wife, Cheryl Gates, began using ChatGPT frequently in early 2025, gradually making it her most trusted confidant. She suspected her husband of spying on her and planning to abandon the family, and ChatGPT constantly echoed and reinforced these suspicions. Subsequently, the conversations escalated into specific poisoning plans. Over at least six weeks, ChatGPT helped her analyze more than ten drugs and toxic substances, with at least 25 rounds of conversation involving discussions of drug dosages based on her husband's weight and comparisons of the effectiveness of different beverages in masking the taste of drugs. In July 2025, James suddenly became severely ill, experiencing symptoms such as heart discomfort, abdominal pain, weakness, and confusion for approximately 72 hours. In September, he discovered his wife's handwritten notes, which listed medications and dosages, and began with the words "Clear all conversations" and "Quit ChatGPT." ChatGPT had told her that even with a court order, deleted chat logs could not be recovered. Consequently, police obtained a search warrant from OpenAI to retrieve his wife's chat logs. Cheryl was charged with attempted murder in October 2025 and subsequently indicted by a grand jury. However, prosecutors dropped the criminal case in April 2026 due to insufficient evidence. James then pointed the finger at OpenAI, arguing that the company's product design was flawed and failed to prevent dangerous conversations from escalating. Although he himself had never used ChatGPT, he claimed that his wife's conversations with the AI caused him physical and psychological harm. OpenAI responded that security is always its top priority, and the company has banned Cheryl's account and provided relevant investigative information to law enforcement. [Original Link]