A 21-year-old woman in South Korea has been charged with murdering two men and allegedly using the AI chatbot ChatGPT to research potentially lethal drug combinations.
According to reports from the BBC and the Korea Herald, the suspect — identified only by her surname Kim under South Korean privacy rules — was arrested Feb. 11 on an initial charge of inflicting bodily injury resulting in death. Authorities later upgraded the charges to murder, citing evidence they say shows intent.
Police allege Kim killed two men in their 20s by giving them drinks mixed with prescription sedatives before checking into motels with them in Seoul. The first death reportedly occurred Jan. 28 in the city’s Gangbuk District. The second fatal incident allegedly took place Feb. 9 using a similar method.
Alleged Use of AI and Drug Research
Investigators who examined Kim’s phone said she used ChatGPT to research the effects of mixing sleeping pills and alcohol. Reportedly cited queries included questions such as what would happen if sleeping pills were combined with alcohol, how many pills would be dangerous and whether the mixture could be fatal.
Police allege that after an earlier December 2025 incident in Namyangju — in which Kim allegedly gave a sedative-laced drink to her then-partner, causing him to lose consciousness — she increased the dosage of benzodiazepine-based medications in later cases. Benzodiazepines, which include drugs like Xanax and Valium, are central nervous system depressants that can be dangerous when combined with alcohol.
Authorities said Kim admitted to mixing her prescribed sedatives into drinks but claimed she did not realize the doses could be deadly. Investigators dispute that assertion, stating they believe she was aware of the potentially fatal consequences.
Ongoing Investigation and Psychological Evaluation
Police have not publicly disclosed a motive. They are continuing to investigate whether there may be additional victims beyond the three incidents currently under review.
As part of the legal process, Kim is expected to undergo a psychopathy assessment and participate in in-depth interviews to evaluate her psychological profile.
OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, has not publicly commented on the case.
