AI chatbot gave wrong diagnosis to child hospitalized in Mumbai
A 14-year-old in Mumbai received incorrect medical advice from an AI chatbot about stomach pain symptoms, leading to hospitalization. Doctors determined the child actually had severe anxiety from school bullying, not the gastrointestinal problem the chatbot identified.
What happened
A 14-year-old child in Mumbai reported stomach pain symptoms to AI chatbots and received advice that the symptoms indicated a gastrointestinal problem requiring immediate hospital admission. The child was taken to Mumbai Apollo Hospital's emergency department where multiple medical tests were performed but revealed no physical illness.
Reported impact
Experts examining the case determined the child's actual condition was severe anxiety attacks caused by bullying at school, not a gastrointestinal issue. The child's physical symptoms were manifestations of psychological distress rather than organic disease.
Index analysis
The chatbot misidentified the symptoms by attributing them to the wrong medical category without the ability to assess the patient's psychological context or recognize anxiety-related somatization. Experts reported observing multiple similar cases where patients sought mental health advice from AI chatbots with worsening outcomes.
Governance controls
A Stanford University report noted that AI tools are not effective medical health options and can ignore serious mental health conditions while providing incorrect guidance to those struggling with mental health issues.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
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