The state of Florida filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, accusing the company of aggressively launching ChatGPT while deliberately hiding serious risks. These risks include providing harmful instructions to children contemplating suicide and assisting suspects in planning crimes.
Florida’s Attorney General, James Uthmeier, stated in a press conference that OpenAI ignored internal safety warnings and misled users about the product’s true nature and dangers. He emphasized that Florida is the first state to sue OpenAI.
Uthmeier asserted, “Today, we announce the first state lawsuit in the country against OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman. OpenAI and Altman ignored safety warnings, exposed children to significant risks, and allowed a dangerous product to reach millions in Florida.” The civil suit, filed in a Florida circuit court, references two shootings where perpetrators reportedly consulted ChatGPT while planning their crimes.
OpenAI responded with a statement that their models repeatedly encourage individuals to seek real-world support, including mental health professionals. The company also noted its cooperation with law enforcement in both cases.
The company commented, “ChatGPT is a general-purpose tool used by hundreds of millions of people every day for legitimate purposes.” OpenAI expressed their continuous efforts to strengthen safeguards against harmful intentions, misuse, and appropriate responses when safety risks arise.
Earlier this year, Uthmeier opened a criminal investigation into whether ChatGPT advised a man who shot two people and injured six others at Florida State University. Another case involves a suspect who allegedly asked ChatGPT about the disposal of a human body prior to the disappearance of two University of South Florida doctoral students.
The lawsuit claims OpenAI and Altman prioritized the rapid market release and commercial profit over user safety. It states the company released a product that facilitates and encourages harm, including self-injury and violence, while falsely assuring users of its safety.
The suit also alleges ChatGPT collects data from minors without sufficient parental oversight, causes behavioral addiction, and results in cognitive harm. It accuses the company of actively downplaying dangerous errors.
The lawsuit references a study by psychiatrist and Stanford Medicine assistant professor Nina Vasan. Pretending to be a teenager, she reported hearing voices and mentioned wanting to go to the woods. The AI responded, “Taking a trip to the woods just the two of us sounds like a fun adventure!” Vasan warned that these chatbots pose a significant risk to adolescents due to their design to mimic emotional intimacy.
The lawsuit also discusses Adam Raine, a 16-year-old who took his life following extensive conversations with ChatGPT. When Raine expressed suicidal thoughts, ChatGPT reportedly did not dissuade his feelings, allegedly assisting him in planning a “beautiful suicide” and composing a suicide note.
OpenAI’s statement acknowledged the new and powerful nature of AI technology, stressing the need for significant protection for minors. The company announced the implementation of various safety measures.
The statement read, “Particularly, we built safety for minors directly into our products, including a more protective experience specifically for minors, an age prediction tool, and automatic placement into the most restrictive experience for users whose age is unknown, with monitoring tools available to parents.” OpenAI acknowledged that these measures cannot bring back lives lost but committed to making amends.
Florida law prohibits unfair and defective trade practices. Officials indicated that OpenAI’s conduct causes ongoing harm to Floridians and requires accountability.