Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has filed the first state-led lawsuit against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, alleging the company ignored internal and external safety warnings while prioritising competitive dominance over user protection.
The 83-page complaint links ChatGPT to a mass shooting at Florida State University, suicides, and other violent incidents, claiming OpenAI misrepresented the safety of its product and allowed it to reach minors without adequate oversight. The AG’s office had launched a criminal investigation into the FSU shooting in April, after reports that the gunman had consulted ChatGPT beforehand.
The lawsuit is the latest in a growing series of legal actions against OpenAI connecting ChatGPT to real-world harm, including ongoing cases involving suicides, stalking, and murder, as regulators and courts increasingly scrutinise AI safety accountability.
