THE NEW YORK TIMES: Florida becomes first State to sue OpenAI over chatbot safety concerns
THE NEW YORK TIMES: In the lawsuit, the State said OpenAI had built ‘a dangerous online product’.
WASHINGTON — Florida on Monday became the first State to sue OpenAI over claims that ChatGPT posed a risk to children and that the company had failed to warn the public of dangers posed by the chatbot, adding to a growing backlash against artificial intelligence.
In the lawsuit, which was filed in Florida’s 10th Judicial Circuit, the state said OpenAI had built “a dangerous online product where harmful information such as tips on eating disorders, self-harm and mass murder are readily available, including to young children.”
The company and its CEO, Sam Altman, had engaged in negligence and violated Florida’s prohibition on unfair and deceptive practices, the state added.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.“They have chosen profit over public safety,” Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, a Republican, said at a Monday news conference. He added that the company and its CEO could be liable for up to billions of dollars in damages or penalties.
The lawsuit is the latest example of intensifying scrutiny over the effects of AI. OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and other companies have faced tough questions about the negative effects of their popular chatbots, including a series of lawsuits over children who interacted with chatbots before they died by suicide.
State governments have taken the lead in creating restrictions and approving rules that govern AI.
The Trump administration, which is close to Silicon Valley leaders and has largely urged free rein for AI on the grounds that the United States must lead China in developing the technology, has tried to neuter state actions.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, proposed a sweeping bill to rein in AI last year. The legislation included a requirement that companies would disclose when they were talking to customers through an AI chatbot and forbade the technology’s use to offer licensed mental health counseling.
His legislation fizzled when it failed to gain enough support with the state’s House Republican leadership.
Uthmeier started an investigation into OpenAI in April, citing concerns that ChatGPT had probably been “used to assist the murderer” in a deadly 2025 shooting at Florida State University. He also pointed to worries about the product’s effect on children.
Uthmeier said Monday that a criminal investigation into the company was ongoing.
The state’s lawsuit argues that OpenAI markets ChatGPT as safe and builds features that appeal specifically to minors. But “the plain truth is that it is shockingly unreliable,” the state said in its filing.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
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Originally published on The New York Times
