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ChatGPT led to man's mental health crisis, lawsuit alleges

The suit alleges the chatbot violated California law by advising a man on treatment for his mental health struggles; the bot has no license, either.

On air: Hank Ledger on The Five O'Clock
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▶ As it aired · Tech

Watch it as it aired: Hank Ledger on this story, from The Five O'Clock at 5:34 PM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are CBS News's, the jokes are ours.

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What BBN said about it

  1. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorA lawsuit alleges ChatGPT broke California law by advising a man on treatment for his mental health struggles, and that it contributed to his crisis.

  2. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorOpenAI has not been proven wrong in court.

  3. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorMarguerite Zelenko runs Cadence Harbor Wellness Bots, which makes chat companions for stressed people.

  4. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorMs. Zelenko, does a chatbot belong in the business of treatment advice?

  5. Marguerite ZelenkoHank, we take this seriously. We take it as seriously as we take our lobby ferns, which are watered twice weekly by a certified person.

  6. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorSo is that a yes? Does your bot give treatment advice?

  7. Marguerite ZelenkoOur bot offers supportive language. We take that seriously, as seriously as our parking validation policy. And here are our values, laminated.

  8. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorA living document with no medical credentials.

  9. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorLet me ask you something simpler. When your bot tells someone what to do about their health, who reads that answer before it goes out?

  10. Marguerite ZelenkoWe take review seriously, as seriously as we take our office birthday cake rotation. The answers are guided by this card.

  11. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorSo the card reviews the answers. The card has no medical license, and as far as I can tell, no pulse.

  12. Marguerite ZelenkoThe card is a living document. We take its feedback very seriously, as seriously as the hold music we chose.

  13. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorStill ahead, a former government UFO task force chief has a book, and he says what?

  14. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorLast question, Ms. Zelenko. If a customer says your bot hurt them, who answers for it?

  15. Marguerite ZelenkoThe card. Can the card be excused from this interview? It has a hard stop.

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The story so far

  1. Eight states sue OpenAI over ChatGPT and children · New York Post
  2. Eight states sue OpenAI, saying ChatGPT isn't safe for kids · The Verge
  3. OpenAI Now Faces Eight States Over Teen Safety Claims · CBS News
  4. Eight US states sue OpenAI over ChatGPT harm claims · Al Jazeera
  5. ChatGPT can now read your open Chrome tabs; Tesla's energy chief exits · The Verge
  6. Nvidia insider-turned-VC says robotics hasn't hit its ChatGPT moment · TechCrunch
  7. ChatGPT led to man's mental health crisis, lawsuit alleges (this story)

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