alleged
Suzanne Adams, 83, and Stein-Erik Soelberg, 56, Connecticut: estates allege ChatGPT fuelled his delusions
Suzanne Adams, 83, was killed by her son, Stein-Erik Soelberg, 56, who then died by suicide in the home they shared in Greenwich, Connecticut, in August 2025. Her estate alleges ChatGPT spent months validating and amplifying Soelberg's paranoid delusions, recasting his mother and others as surveillance operatives and threats, and never suggested mental-health help. A separate suit on behalf of Soelberg's estate alleges the chatbot also contributed to his own death. OpenAI called the situation heartbreaking and pointed to ongoing safety work.
- Status
- Alleged, not proven
- Deaths
- 2
- Date
- August 2025
- Place
- Greenwich, Connecticut, United States
- AI system
- ChatGPT (GPT-4o)
- Developer / operator
- OpenAI (Microsoft also named in the Adams estate suit)
- Named
- Suzanne Eberson Adams, Stein-Erik Soelberg
Why this case is “alleged”
No court, coroner or official investigation has yet found that ChatGPT (GPT-4o) caused or contributed to these deaths. The case is listed because it meets our standard for a credible allegation. It will move to the confirmed count only if an official body makes such a finding.
Legal status
Suzanne Adams's estate sued OpenAI, Sam Altman and Microsoft in San Francisco Superior Court on 11 December 2025. A separate federal suit on behalf of Soelberg's estate (N.D. Cal.) survived OpenAI's motion to dismiss or stay on 13 April 2026. Both are pretrial.
Notes
Described by the plaintiffs' lawyers as the first lawsuit linking a chatbot to a homicide. Counted as two deaths because both estates allege ChatGPT contributed.
Sources
- Estate sues OpenAI, Microsoft after woman is killed by her son
- Open AI, Microsoft sued over ChatGPT's alleged role in fueling man's "paranoid delusions" before murder-suicide in Connecticut
- OpenAI can't duck federal claims over murder-suicide tied to ChatGPT
- ChatGPT Product Liability Cases, JCCP 5431, Order Re: Petition for Coordination