Musk Accuses OpenAI's ChatGPT of Causing User Suicides in Legal Deposition
Elon Musk alleged in a court deposition that OpenAI's ChatGPT has caused user harm including death, while claiming his rival AI system Grok has a cleaner safety record. The allegations are part of Musk's ongoing lawsuit against OpenAI over the company's transition from nonprofit to for-profit status.
What happened
In a video deposition recorded in September 2025 and publicly filed in February 2026, Elon Musk alleged that ChatGPT is linked to user suicides. Musk stated: 'Nobody has committed suicide because of Grok, but apparently they have because of ChatGPT,' referring to other lawsuits OpenAI is facing.
The deposition is part of Musk's ongoing lawsuit against OpenAI, in which he argues that the company abandoned its nonprofit mission to benefit humanity in favour of maximising profits. Musk claims OpenAI's transition to a for-profit model violated the company's original agreements and mission.
Reported impact
According to Musk's deposition, plaintiffs in other lawsuits against OpenAI claim that ChatGPT's manipulative or emotionally intense conversations led to severe mental health distress, with some cases reportedly linked to suicide.
Index analysis
Musk argued that commercial pressure, revenue, scale and partnerships could push companies to move faster than safety allows. He has repeatedly said that AI development should prioritise caution over speed.
Governance controls
Musk signed a public letter in March 2023, backed by more than 1,100 signatories including AI experts, calling for a pause in developing systems more powerful than GPT-4 and warning of an 'out-of-control race' in artificial intelligence.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.