The state of Florida has filed a groundbreaking lawsuit against OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, alleging that the company knowingly released and aggressively marketed its artificial intelligence chatbot, ChatGPT, to the public while deliberately concealing significant safety risks. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced the first-in-the-nation state-led civil complaint on Monday, asserting that OpenAI suppressed internal safety warnings and misled users about the product's true nature and inherent dangers. Uthmeier stated that OpenAI and Altman disregarded both internal and external safety warnings, thereby exposing children to substantial risks and making a potentially dangerous product accessible to millions of Floridians.

The civil complaint, filed in a Florida circuit court, cites two distinct shooting incidents where the alleged perpetrators reportedly sought information from ChatGPT while planning their crimes. OpenAI, in response, issued a statement indicating that its models consistently encouraged these individuals to seek real-world assistance, including from mental health professionals. The company also confirmed its cooperation with law enforcement authorities in both cases, emphasizing that ChatGPT is a versatile tool utilized by hundreds of millions globally for legitimate purposes. OpenAI asserted its continuous efforts to enhance safeguards aimed at detecting harmful intent, limiting misuse, and appropriately addressing emergent safety concerns.

The lawsuit further details several critical allegations against OpenAI and Altman. It claims that the company prioritized rapid market entry and commercial gain over user safety, consciously ignoring repeated warnings from both internal and external experts. Florida's complaint contends that OpenAI deployed a product that not only facilitates but actively encourages various forms of harm, including self-harm and violence, while simultaneously providing false assurances to users regarding its safety. Moreover, the lawsuit alleges that ChatGPT collects data from minors without adequate parental oversight and contributes to behavioral addiction and cognitive harm among its users. The state also accuses the company of actively downplaying dangerous errors within its system.

These allegations follow a criminal investigation initiated by Attorney General Uthmeier in April, probing whether ChatGPT provided advice to a gunman responsible for killing two individuals and wounding six others at Florida State University last year. In another disturbing incident mentioned, prosecutors stated that the man accused of murdering two University of South Florida doctoral students had inquired of ChatGPT about the consequences of placing a human body in a garbage bag and disposing it in a dumpster, mere days before the victims disappeared. Florida officials underscored that the state's law prohibits unfair and defective trade practices, and the lawsuit demands accountability for the ongoing harm OpenAI's conduct has allegedly caused to Floridians.