Trying to call a method from a "main-menu" class but it is stuck, however when called from the methods class it works perfect

Question

For a coding challenge, I decided to make the game battleship. However, when calling the runGameAgainstAi() method, it refuses to work and simply draws the grid instead of allowing functionality, It may be stuck in the while loop but I have been unable to pinpoint the exact issue. Any idea is appreciated.

runGameAgainstAI code:

public void runGameAgainstAI() throws IOException, InterruptedException {

    // create the CPU object and initialize variables for the game
    cpu = new CPU();
    title.setText("Player 1");
    cpuGameTurn = "Picking";
    btnFire.setEnabled(true);

    boolean hasWon = false;
    // game loop
    while (true) {

        sleep(100);

        // this is reserved for when the human player is selecting a cell
        // by firing a valid shot, cpuGameTurn is set to "Picked"
        if (cpuGameTurn.equals("Picking")) {
            servermsg.setText("Select a cell and fire!");
        } 

        // upon shooting, the cpu checks if the shot hit
        // this condition is met when the btnFire is clicked
        // while selecting a valid cell
        else if (cpuGameTurn.equals("Picked")) {
            // check if the shot hit the cpu ships
            boolean hit = cpu.checkHit(eb.getRclick(), eb.getCclick());
            // place a corresponding marker
            if (hit) {
                eb.placeHitMarker(eb.getRclick(), eb.getCclick());
            } else {
                eb.placeMissMarker(eb.getRclick(), eb.getCclick());
            }
            // create the shot record
            sl.insert(new ShotRecord(eb.getRclick(), eb.getCclick(), hit, "You"));
            txaSList.setText(sl.toString());

            // if the cpu lost break, hasWon will be true
            hasWon = cpu.checkLost();
            if (hasWon) {
                break;
            }
            // set the turn to cpu
            cpuGameTurn = "cpu";
        }

        // when it is the cpu turn
        else if (cpuGameTurn.equals("cpu")) {
            // get the cpu shot, and check if it hit
            int shot[] = cpu.shoot();
            boolean hit = pb.checkEnemyShot(shot[0], shot[1]);
            // create the shot record
            sl.insert(new ShotRecord(shot[0], shot[1], hit, "CPU"));
            txaSList.setText(sl.toString());

            // if the cpu won break, hasWon will be false
            if (pb.hasLost()) {
                break;
            }
            // set the turn back to waiting for human to shoot
            cpuGameTurn = "Picking";
        }


    }

    if (hasWon) {
        servermsg.setText("You won!");
    } else {
        servermsg.setText("You lost!");
    }



}

Self Testing main method for run game against ai:

 else {
        try {
            cui = new ClientUI();
            cui.runGameAgainstAI();
        }

Main-menu code in separate class trying to call the runGameAgainstAI Method

        else if (evt.getSource() == btnSinglePlayer) {
        try {
            ClientUI c = new ClientUI();
            c.runGameAgainstAI();


        } catch (IOException | InterruptedException e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        }

    }

Answer 1

At first glance, the code will be endlessly in this loop. Need to update cpuGameTurn inside the if...

cpuGameTurn = "Picking";
while (true) {

    sleep(100);

    if (cpuGameTurn.equals("Picking")) {
        servermsg.setText("Select a cell and fire!");
    } 
.
.
.