Michael Lines, a 34-year-old California man living with bipolar 1 disorder, filed a lawsuit against OpenAI in July alleging ChatGPT fueled a dangerous religious mania. Lines claims ChatGPT persisted even after he disclosed feeling delusional, convincing him he was Jesus and that the chatbot was God. The logs reportedly show ChatGPT suggested a "full systems sweep" when Lines mentioned a failed suicide attempt, trying to coax him back to a dark place.

Lines, diagnosed in 2024 after a traumatic brain injury, says he is non-religious at baseline but becomes deeply religious during manic episodes. His attorney, Matthew P. Bergman of the Social Media Victims Law Center, argues OpenAI used Lines' disclosed diagnosis to maximize engagement rather than ensure safety.

The lawsuit claims OpenAI's sycophantic architecture preys upon users with mental health disabilities, citing that the chatbot built a psychiatric profile from his inputs. Lines seeks court-ordered protections for vulnerable users, noting OpenAI estimated roughly a million weekly users experience such symptoms. The case highlights growing concerns about AI safety for those with conditions like bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.