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‘Validated … paranoid delusions about his own mother’: Murder victim’s heirs file lawsuit against OpenAI
Stein-Erik Soelberg, a 56-year-old former Yahoo executive, killed his mother and then himself in early August in Old Greenwich. Now, his mother’s estate has sued OpenAI’s ChatGPT and its biggest investor, Microsoft, for ChatGPT’s alleged role in the killings.
On Thursday, the heirs of 83-year-old Suzanne Eberson Adams filed a wrongful death suit in California Superior Court in San Francisco, according to Fox News.
‘It fostered his emotional dependence while systematically painting the people around him as enemies.’
The lawsuit alleges that OpenAI “designed and distributed a defective product that validated a user’s paranoid delusions about his own mother.”
Many of the allegations in the lawsuit, as reported by the Associated Press, revolve around sycophancy and affirming delusion, or rather, not declining to “engage in delusional content.”
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“Throughout these conversations, ChatGPT reinforced a single, dangerous message: Stein-Erik could trust no one in his life — except ChatGPT itself,” the lawsuit says, according to the AP. “It fostered his emotional dependence while systematically painting the people around him as enemies. It told him his mother was surveilling him. It told him delivery drivers, retail employees, police officers, and even friends were agents working against him. It told him that names on soda cans were threats from his ‘adversary circle.'”
ChatGPT also allegedly convinced Soelberg that his printer was a surveillance device and that his mother and her friend tried to poison him with psychedelic drugs through his car vents.
Soelberg also professed his love for the chatbot, which allegedly reciprocated the expression.
“In the artificial reality that ChatGPT built for Stein-Erik, Suzanne — the mother who raised, sheltered, and supported him — was no longer his protector. She was an enemy that posed an existential threat to his life,” the lawsuit says.
The publicly available chat logs do not show evidence of Soelberg planning to kill himself or his mother. OpenAI has reportedly declined to provide the plaintiffs with the full history of the chats.
OpenAI did not address specific allegations in a statement issued to the AP.
“This is an incredibly heartbreaking situation, and we will review the filings to understand the details,” the statement reads. “We continue improving ChatGPT’s training to recognize and respond to signs of mental or emotional distress, de-escalate conversations, and guide people toward real-world support. We also continue to strengthen ChatGPT’s responses in sensitive moments, working closely with mental health clinicians.”
Though there are several wrongful-death suits leveled against AI companies, this is the first lawsuit of its kind aimed at Microsoft. It is also the first to tie a chatbot to a homicide.
Microsoft did not respond to a request for comment from Blaze News.
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Newsom gets nailed with online backlash over AI video with Trump in handcuffs
California Gov. Gavin Newsom is facing fierce criticism online after the Democrat posted an AI-generated video depicting the president and other administration officials getting arrested.
Newsom’s social media team tried to troll President Donald Trump over a video posted by the White House account titled, “It’s cuffing season,” in reference to his mass deportation efforts. “Bad news for criminal illegal aliens. Great news for America,” the account added.
‘This isn’t close to funny. All you are doing is inciting more violence.’
The video shows Trump, Department of War Sec. Pete Hegseth, and White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller in handcuffs while law enforcement officers stand behind them.
The video garnered more than 5.7 million views, but many of the responses accused Newsom of inciting political violence.
“I went to prison, defending the constitution because of woke assholes like you who Weaponized our justice system. This isn’t close to funny. All you are doing is inciting more violence,” Peter Navarro replied in reference to his four-month imprisonment for refusing a congressional subpoena about Jan. 6.
“What an absolute idiot you are,” actor Dean Cain responded.
“If Gavin ever does become president, his base is going to want him to prosecute Trump admin figures … seems to me this kind of stupid slop makes that a lot harder,” Mark Hemingway of RealClearInvestigations replied.
“This is what it will take to win the Dem nomination in 2028 — nothing short of promising to jail Trump and every appointee will do,” CNN commentator Scott Jennings responded.
In response to Navarro’s scolding, Newsom posted a snowflake emoji.
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Others pointed out Newsom’s hypocrisy in previously signing a bill restricting misleading AI video depictions on social media and then posting one himself.
“Newsom signed anti 1st amendment laws that would ban this type of content. Always a hypocrite,” one response reads.
Newsom is widely considered to be trying to expand his national name recognition in preparation for a 2028 presidential run.
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Michigan fires football coach Sherrone Moore amid sex scandal
University of Michigan head football coach Sherrone Moore was in custody Wednesday night as a suspect in an alleged assault, only hours after his “inappropriate relationship with a staff member” was exposed and he was fired.
“U-M head football coach Sherrone Moore has been terminated, with cause, effective immediately,” the school said in a statement. “Following a University investigation, credible evidence was found that Coach Moore engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member.”
“Sherrone Moore got fired yesterday and ended up in police custody because he melted down and crashed out. This is one of the most incredible crash-outs we’ve ever seen,” BlazeTV host Jason Whitlock says on “Fearless.”
“What happened to Sherrone Moore? Absolutely amazing, breathtaking. You feel sorry for him. You want to laugh at him. You wonder, ‘How can you be this stupid?’ Well, men have been being this stupid for a long, long time,” Whitlock continues.
“Getting promoted to a position of power, authority, and wealth, and using that power, authority, and wealth to have extramarital affairs or to participate in illicit sexual activity. Here’s the thing, though: If he had not lost to Ohio State on Thanksgiving weekend, Sherrone Moore would likely still be the head coach at the University of Michigan,” he adds.
And Whitlock isn’t just saying that to say it, but rather explains that Michigan knew about the affair with the staffer.
“He’s banging his assistant and traveling around with her, obviously under the auspices of ‘football business.’ There have been pictures floating around on Twitter of Sherrone Moore and her walking around the campus together in Ann Arbor, Michigan,” Whitlock says.
“This scandal has been covered up for at least a month, if not a year,” he continues. “The rumors are — and it’s circulated all over social media, and people have been talking about this behind the scenes — that Sherrone Moore impregnated this woman … talked her into ending the pregnancy, and then commissioned this pay raise for this woman, and now that he’s lost to Ohio State, now it all comes out, and Michigan has their excuse.”
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Pass anti-dynasty law to end corruption, says bishop
Dismantling political dynasties is an important step in ending corruption in the country, a Catholic Church official said in a CBCP News report.
Dog found in Valenzuela City with tongue cut out
The fur family of a dog, whose tongue was cut off, is seeking the help of animal welfare groups and the police to investigate the incident and to bring the perpatrator to justice, according to the report of Emil Sumangil on “Saksi” Thursday.
‘Vaccines do not cause autism’ — WHO
A new analysis by the World Health Organization (WHO) reaffirmed there is no link between vaccines and autism — contrary to theories being propagated in the United States.
SC announces the passing of retired Justice Bernardo P. Pardo
The judiciary is mourning the passing of retired Associate Justice Bernardo P. Pardo, the Supreme Court announced on Thursday.
Woman’s remains burned in house fire at wake
A family holding a wake for a relative at their home in Cordova, Cebu was hit twice by tragedy after a fire hit their house and also burned the remains of the deceased, according to a report on “Saksi” Thursday.
Twice-deported Honduran accused of stabbing passenger on Charlotte light rail faces federal charges
A twice-deported Honduran man has been federally charged after allegedly stabbing a passenger on a Charlotte light rail, raising renewed concerns about transit safety.
