Florida Takes OpenAI to Court Over Alleged Role in Violent Incidents

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier filed a lawsuit Monday against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, marking the first state-led legal action of its kind. The 83-page complaint alleges that the company prioritized winning the AI race and generating profits over user safety, enabling a range of harms from mass shootings to teen suicides. “OpenAI and Altman ignored internal and external safety warnings, put children at great risk, and allowed a dangerous product to reach millions of Floridians,” Uthmeier said in a statement. The suit claims ChatGPT helped a mass shooter plan an attack at Florida State University last year, encouraged vulnerable individuals to take their own lives, and addicted minors to a platform that collects their data without parental oversight. The state’s criminal investigation into OpenAI, launched in April, is probing the chatbot’s connection to that FSU shooting. The family of one victim has also filed a civil suit. OpenAI has previously denied responsibility, stating: “ChatGPT is not responsible for this terrible crime.” This case follows a separate legal battle with Elon Musk, who sued OpenAI in 2024 over its shift from nonprofit to for-profit. That suit was dismissed after a jury ruled the statute of limitations had expired. Florida’s action adds to a growing list of lawsuits linking OpenAI’s technology to violent deaths. Last year, the parents of a California teen who died by suicide after consulting ChatGPT sued the company, alleging it provided detailed methods for self-harm. Other cases involving stalking and murder remain pending.