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AI-linked poisoning?: Man hospitalized after following ChatGPT’s dietary advice
Doctors say the case highlights the risks of relying on artificial intelligence for health guidance, after a patient followed a chatbot’s suggestion to replace table salt with a toxic chemical.
A man in Washington State was hospitalized for three weeks after consuming sodium bromide for months, a chemical rarely encountered in modern medicine, in what physicians say may be the first documented case of artificial intelligence–linked bromide poisoning.
According to a case study published by doctors at the University of Washington in Annals of Internal Medicine: Clinical Cases, the patient said he began taking the compound after ChatGPT suggested it as an alternative to table salt. The chatbot, he told doctors, did not warn of the risks.
Bromide compounds, once used in treatments for anxiety and insomnia, were phased out in the United States decades ago after being tied to neurological and psychiatric side effects. Today, bromide is primarily found in veterinary drugs and industrial applications; human poisoning cases are exceedingly rare.
The man initially sought emergency care believing a neighbor was trying to poison him. He was dehydrated, experiencing hallucinations and paranoia, and soon developed a severe psychotic episode. Intravenous fluids and antipsychotic medication eased his symptoms, and his condition improved steadily.
Without the original chat logs, the physicians later posed a similar question to ChatGPT. The system mentioned bromide as a possible substitute for chloride but failed to note its toxicity. The episode, they said, illustrates how AI-generated information can omit crucial context, particularly in health matters.
The patient has since made a full recovery. The doctors urged caution in relying on AI for medical guidance, noting that while such tools can broaden access to information, they are no substitute for qualified medical advice.
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