THE STORY BEGAN WHEN THE PATIENT DECIDED TO IMPROVE HIS HEALTH BY REDUCING HIS INTAKE OF SALT, OR SODIUM CHLORIDE. TO FIND A SUBSTITUTE, HE DID WHAT SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE DO NOWADAYS: HE ASKED CHATGPT; OPENAI'S CHATBOT APPARENTLY SUGGESTED SODIUM BROMIDE, WHICH THE MAN ORDERED ONLINE AND INCORPORATED INTO HIS DIET. WHILE IT IS TRUE THAT SODIUM BROMIDE CAN BE A SUBSTITUTE FOR SODIUM CHLORIDE, THAT'S USUALLY IF YOU'RE TRYING TO CLEAN A HOT TUB, NOT TO MAKE YOUR FRIES TASTIER. BUT THE AI NEGLECTED TO MENTION THIS CRUCIAL CONTEXT; THREE MONTHS LATER, THE PATIENT PRESENTED TO THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT WITH PARANOID DELUSIONS, BELIEVING HIS NEIGHBOR WAS TRYING TO POISON HIM
