Florida Sues OpenAI, Sam Altman Over ChatGPT Safety Claims

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier on Monday filed what the state describes as “the first-in-the-nation state-led lawsuit” against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, accusing the company of misleading consumers about ChatGPT’s safety while exposing children to harm.

The lawsuit marks one of the most aggressive actions against a major AI company, and comes after Florida’s attorney general’s office opened an investigation into the ChatGPT developer in April.

“We recently filed a monumental civil lawsuit against Sam Altman and ChatGPT for endangering our kids and deceiving parents into believing that this application is safe for use,” Uthmeier said during a press conference on Monday. “It’s clearly not.”

Filed in the Florida state court on Monday, the lawsuit alleges OpenAI misrepresented ChatGPT as safe while exposing users to risks including self-harm, violence, addiction, cognitive decline, and misinformation. Florida is seeking damages, injunctive relief, and personal liability against Altman.

“Sam Altman and ChatGPT have chosen the AI race over the safety and security of our kids,” Uthmeier said. “They have chosen profit over public safety, and we’re not going to stand for it here in Florida.”

The lawsuit comes amid ongoing investigations and lawsuits related to ChatGPT. Last month, OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman were sued in California state court by the family of a 19-year-old student who died from an accidental overdose, with the lawsuit alleging ChatGPT encouraged dangerous drug use and advised on mixing substances.

Uthmeier said investigators found that the Florida State University shooter consulted the chatbot about firearms, ammunition, timing, and locations on campus before the attack. He also pointed to a separate USF kidnapping and murder case in which a suspect allegedly asked ChatGPT how to dispose of bodies, along with other incidents involving self-harm, suicide attempts, child pornography, and other crimes.

In May, OpenAI said it updated ChatGPT to better detect signs of suicide, self-harm, and potential violence by analyzing conversations over time rather than individual messages. The update follows a lawsuit against OpenAI related to a February mass shooting in British Columbia.

The Florida AG’s complaint also points to OpenAI’s growth from a nonprofit founded in 2015 to a company valued at more than $850 billion. OpenAI recently announced an $852 billion valuation after raising $122 billion, citing growing demand for ChatGPT and AI services, with plans to go public later this year.

“This success has not been earned; the rise of OpenAI is attributable to a web of deceit and the exploitation of users (including Floridians), leveraging their data and safety to boost OpenAI’s market value at unacceptable costs,” the lawsuit said.