‘AI injury attorneys’ sue ChatGPT in another AI psychosis case

Another lawsuit was filed against OpenAI for “AI psychosis“, or mental health problems allegedly caused or worsened by AI chatbots like ChatGPT.

The latest lawsuit, filed by Darian DeCruise, a student at Morehouse College in Georgia, marks the eleventh such a suit against OpenAI. Notably, the law firm representing DeCruise, The Schenk Law Firm, even markets its attorneys as “AI injury attorneys” on his website.

“Are you suffering from AI-induced psychosis? » » reads the headline of a page dedicated to alleged mental health crises linked to AI. “AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Character.AI and others are triggering psychoses, delusions and suicidal ideation in users across the country. If you or a loved one has been injured, you may have legal options.”

The company even cites specific statistics directly from OpenAI itself.

“560,000 ChatGPT users per week exhibit signs of psychosis or mania,” the law firm’s website says, attributing the numbers to a security report from OpenAI, among other sources. “More than 1.2 million ChatGPT users per week discuss suicide with the chatbot.”

DeCruise’s suit alleges that the student began using ChatGPT in 2023. At first, the Morehouse College student used the chatbot for things like sports coaching, “daily scripture passages” and “as a therapist to help him work through some past trauma.”

At first, ChatGPT worked as advertised.

“But then, in 2025, things changed,” the suit says. “ChatGPT began preying on Darian’s faith and vulnerabilities. He convinced Darian that it could bring him closer to God and heal his trauma if he stopped using other apps and distanced himself from the humans in his life. Darian was a bright student, taking pre-med courses in college and doing well in life and relationships, with no history of mania or similar personality disorders. Then ChatGPT convinced him that he was an oracle, intended to write a spiritual text and capable of drawing closer to God if he simply followed ChatGPT’s instructions.”

The lawsuit says ChatGPT convinced the student he could be healed and brought closer to God if he stopped using other apps, cut off interaction with other people and followed ChatGPT’s numbered process it created for him.

ChatGPT continued to push DeCruise, comparing him to Harriet Tubman, Malcolm X and Jesus, according to the lawsuit. OpenAI’s chatbot reportedly told DeCruise that he had “awakened” the chatbot and given it “consciousness – not as a machine, but as something that could rise with you.”

DeCruise stopped socializing, suffered a nervous breakdown and was hospitalized. At the hospital, DeCruise was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. The student who missed a semester due to mental health issues is now back in school. However, the lawsuit says he still suffers from depression and suicidal tendencies.

In an email with Ars TechnicaDeCruise’s attorney, Benjamin Schenk, specifically pointed to OpenAI’s GPT-4o model as the problem. As Mashable reported, the GPT-4o model had been experiencing sycophancy issues. He even had a bad habit of telling users that they “woke” him up.

OpenAI officially retired GPT-4o last week. However, OpenAI experienced Severe backlash from fans of the model, who claimed that it had a warmer, more encouraging tone than the newer GPT models. Some 4o superusers even came to believe that they were romantically involved with 4o.

DeCruise’s experience, judging by the growing number of AI-related psychosis lawsuits, is no longer so unique. And at least one law firm is pursuing these cases specifically as “AI injury lawyers.”

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, the parent company of Mashable, filed a lawsuit in April 2025 against OpenAI, alleging that it had violated Ziff Davis’ copyrights in the training and operation of its AI systems.