ChatGPT Used in Expert Report Defending 3M in Explosion Lawsuit

Three‑M Company is the target of a new lawsuit alleging that a fatal explosion at a former manufacturing site was caused by the company’s negligence. In a move that has drawn attention from both the legal and technology communities, the plaintiff’s expert witness—an engineer who had previously testified in environmental and industrial safety cases—submitted a forensic report that was generated with the help of ChatGPT, the generative‑AI model from OpenAI. The report, which argues that 3M’s safety protocols were adequate and that the blast was the result of an unrelated equipment failure, is now being used to defend the company in court.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court, claims that 3M’s failure to properly maintain or inspect a pressure vessel led to the explosion that killed two workers and injured several others. The expert’s AI‑assisted report was produced after the witness fed the model data from site inspection logs, maintenance records, and industry standards. While the defense argues that the AI merely assisted in drafting the document, critics point out that the report’s conclusions may be based on incomplete or misinterpreted data, raising questions about the admissibility of AI‑generated evidence. 3M has denied any wrongdoing and maintains that its safety procedures met all regulatory requirements.

The case highlights the growing use of artificial intelligence in legal proceedings and the challenges it poses for ensuring the accuracy and reliability of expert testimony. As the litigation proceeds, both sides are likely to scrutinize the methodology behind the AI‑generated report, and the outcome may set precedents for how AI‑assisted documents are treated in future lawsuits.