Subnautica 2 publisher’s CEO used ChatGPT in failed bid to avoid paying US$250m bonus to own studio head, court hears - The Guardian
- CEO of the Subnautica 2 publisher consulted ChatGPT for a loophole to void a $250 million bonus contract (The Guardian, Fortune)
- ChatGPT produced a draft argument that the court deemed insufficient, underscoring the gap between AI suggestions and legal rigor (The Guardian)
- U.S. District Court ruled the AI‑crafted plan ineffective, forcing the company to honor the original bonus terms (The Guardian)
- Fortune framed the episode as a cautionary tale about over‑reliance on generative AI in high‑stakes business decisions (Fortune)
- Legal analysts note that while LLMs can aid research, they cannot replace qualified counsel when billions are at stake (The Guardian, Fortune)
In a high‑profile court case, the CEO of the Subnautica 2 publisher tried to use ChatGPT to devise a legal strategy to avoid paying a $250 million bonus to his studio head, but the AI‑generated advice was rejected, highlighting the limits of LLMs in critical corporate negotiations.
