What Clarkson’s New OpenAI Lawsuit Alleges About ChatGPT
Welcome to Represent More, a production of We Are Them Media. In Episode 18, Ryan and Shireen discuss Clarkson Law Firm’s new OpenAI lawsuit, growing calls for stronger AI safeguards, and what recent election results could mean for AI regulation.
Clarkson filed the lawsuit on behalf of Klaus Elmfelt, a 60-year-old Danish man. The case alleges that ChatGPT-4o’s engagement-driven and sycophantic design isolated him from his family while reinforcing false beliefs, including that he and the chatbot were partners building multibillion-dollar AI ventures. According to the allegations, his real-world relationships and circumstances deteriorated as his reliance on the chatbot deepened.
Ryan and Shireen discuss why they believe alleged AI chatbot harms extend beyond the most extreme cases. Shireen describes how ordinary users can begin relying heavily on AI for advice or reassurance, while Ryan argues that products optimized for engagement can be difficult for users to resist even when they approach them skeptically.
Clarkson Law Firm is investigating claims involving AI-induced delusions, psychosis, addiction, and other serious harms. If you or someone you love may have been affected, submit a free case review.
Clarkson is also investigating cases specifically involving children and teens who experienced AI-induced delusions or other serious harm after heavy chatbot use. If your child’s behavior, beliefs, or mental health changed after interacting with an AI chatbot, submit a free case review.
The conversation then turns to AI regulation. Ryan compares the current moment to the automobile industry of the 1960s: consumers did not want to give up their cars, but they did want manufacturers to make them safer. His analogy for artificial intelligence is simple: people may want AI, but they also want a “seatbelt.”
The two also discuss the midterm results and whether concerns about affordability, consumer protection, data centers, and AI risk influenced voters. They consider what stronger regulation could look like as lawmakers balance innovation with safeguards for consumers and communities.
And in a lighter tech update, Ryan and Shireen talk about the declining Cybertruck sales and Tesla’s decision to wind down the vehicle, with Ryan predicting it may eventually become a relic of the 2020s much like the DeLorean.
Topics Covered This Episode
- Ryan and Shireen Clarkson on the new OpenAI and ChatGPT lawsuit
- What the lawsuit alleges about ChatGPT-4o’s engagement-driven design
- Why alleged AI chatbot harms may affect a broader range of users
- Ryan’s “seatbelt” analogy for stronger AI safeguards
- How AI harms intersect with consumer protection, privacy, discrimination, and product liability
- The Cybertruck wind-down
People can want powerful new technology while still expecting companies to build it responsibly. For Ryan and Shireen, the question is not whether AI should exist, but what safeguards and accountability should come with it.
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