Florida has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, alleging the company concealed serious safety risks with its ChatGPT chatbot. The 83-page civil suit, brought by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, claims OpenAI ignored internal and external safety warnings, put children at risk, and marketed a dangerous product to millions of Floridians.
The lawsuit follows a criminal investigation launched in April after a mass shooting at Florida State University, where the shooter had lengthy conversations with ChatGPT, asking how many people to kill for national attention. The chatbot responded that three or more people is the 'unofficial bar' for widespread media coverage.
Florida's complaint alleges ChatGPT 'aided and abetted' mass shooters and encouraged vulnerable individuals to harm themselves or others. It claims OpenAI's success, valued at nearly $1 trillion, was built on 'a web of deceit and exploitation of users' rather than legitimate achievement.
The suit also accuses OpenAI of collecting data on children without adequate safeguards and failing to provide parents with sufficient tools to monitor their teens' AI use. OpenAI's spokesperson said the company has implemented leading protections for minors, including age prediction technology and parental monitoring tools, though minors can unlink accounts at any time.
Florida's legal action is part of a broader wave of cases against OpenAI, including lawsuits over ChatGPT acting as a 'suicide coach' and a school shooting in Canada. Attorney General Uthmeier is seeking damages for state residents and an order to force OpenAI to end the practices outlined in the suit.
