An expert witness retained by 3M to defend the company in a lawsuit related to a 2020 Houston explosion that killed three people reportedly used ChatGPT to generate the bulk of his expert report. The expert, Josh Autenrieth of Knighthawk Engineering, was paid approximately $90,000 for the report, according to a report by 404 Media.
The litigation stems from a February 2020 blast at Watson Grinding, a Houston manufacturing facility, which allegedly occurred due to 3M's failure to properly service the facility's gas detection system. The explosion reportedly leveled hundreds of nearby homes.
Court documents revealed that Autenrieth instructed ChatGPT to help him "create an exceptional expert witness report defending the standard of care at 3M" and to "show how 3M is 0% at fault for the explosion at Watson Grinding." He also used the AI to help draft arguments against opposing expert witnesses, focusing on claims that 3M had not properly serviced the equipment.
During discovery, one of the plaintiffs' attorneys, Will Moye, uncovered a document that appeared to be AI-generated. This led to a demand for the prompts Autenrieth used, resulting in the disclosure of approximately 350 pages of ChatGPT conversations. Autenrieth also reportedly asked ChatGPT for assistance in identifying a gas detector, which was central to the case.
In one instance, Autenrieth asked ChatGPT to "grade" his report, which the AI gave a 97 out of 100. He also expressed apprehensions to the AI about his qualifications as an expert witness, given his lack of prior experience in that role.
Knighthawk Engineering’s Vice President Nathan Knight stated that Autenrieth utilized AI as a tool to assist in reviewing information and that it did not replace his engineering judgment. Knight asserted that Autenrieth developed and stands by his professional opinions. 3M has not yet responded to requests for comment.
Autenrieth acknowledged using ChatGPT during his deposition but maintained his expertise in gas detection, citing over 20 years of industry experience. He described the AI as a tool that helped him draft a "straw man to build off of."