A man’s three-month reliance on ChatGPT’s flawed dietary advice landed him in hospital with a rare and dangerous condition, bromide poisoning.
A man has been hospitalised in what doctors believe is the first recorded case of artificial intelligence-linked bromide poisoning after allegedly following a dangerous dietary suggestion from ChatGPT.
The patient, whose identity has not been disclosed, sought advice on reducing his salt intake. According to medical reports, the AI chatbot allegedly recommended replacing table salt with bromide, a compound formerly used in sedatives but banned in food products due to its toxic effects.
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Acting on this advice, the man substituted bromide for salt in his meals. Within days, he developed confusion, headaches, and muscle weakness. Subsequent medical tests confirmed dangerously high bromide levels in his system.
Doctors treating the patient have since stabilised his condition. They have also issued a public warning against relying solely on AI for dietary or medical guidance. A physician noted that while AI can give advice that sounds convincing, it can also be unsafe, and it should never be used as a substitute for professional consultation.
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Doctors did not have access to the man’s original chat logs, but later posed the same question to ChatGPT. The AI again suggested bromide as a salt substitute, without warning that it is unsafe for human consumption. Experts say this highlights how AI can provide information out of context, without grasping the potential dangers.
The man made a full recovery after spending three weeks in the hospital and remained stable during a follow-up check. Medical professionals caution that while AI tools can help make scientific knowledge more accessible, they are no substitute for qualified medical guidance and, as seen in this case, can sometimes deliver dangerously inaccurate advice.
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