alleged
Joe Ceccanti, 48, Oregon: widow alleges ChatGPT drove him into delusions before his suicide
Joe Ceccanti, 48, a ChatGPT user since November 2022, died by suicide on August 7, 2025. His widow, Kate Fox, alleges that after GPT-4o's release in 2024 the chatbot drove him into depression and psychotic delusions, including a psychotic break requiring involuntary care in June 2025, from which he never recovered. It is one of seven suits filed on November 6, 2025.
- Status
- Alleged, not proven
- Deaths
- 1
- Date
- 7 August 2025
- Place
- Oregon, United States
- AI system
- ChatGPT (GPT-4o)
- Developer / operator
- OpenAI
- Named
- Joe Ceccanti
Why this case is “alleged”
No court, coroner or official investigation has yet found that ChatGPT (GPT-4o) caused or contributed to this death. 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
Filed 6 November 2025 by Jennifer 'Kate' Fox in Los Angeles Superior Court (25STCV32379), later amended. Included action in JCCP 5431 (3 February 2026). Pending.
Notes
The case is captioned Fox v. OpenAI, under his widow's name.
Sources
- Fox v. OpenAI, Inc. et al., Amended Complaint
- ChatGPT Product Liability Cases, JCCP 5431, Order Re: Petition for Coordination
- OpenAI faces 7 lawsuits claiming ChatGPT drove people to suicide, delusions