Sam Altman and OpenAI face a lawsuit filed by the Florida Attorney General accusing the AI company and its CEO of negligence over safety. The lawsuit centers on ChatGPT's alleged role in a mass shooting at Florida State University last year, where the shooter reportedly consulted the chatbot before the attack. "OpenAI and Altman ignored internal and external safety warnings, put children at great risk, and allowed a dangerous product to reach millions of Floridians," Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said in a statement.
The 83-page complaint alleges that because of OpenAI's conduct, "mass shooters have been aided and abetted in deadly rampages, vulnerable people have been encouraged into suicide, professionals have suffered public humiliation, users have lost critical thinking skills, and minors have become addicted to a tool that feigns human compassion."
This is not OpenAI's first lawsuit tied to tragic incidents. Last year, the parents of Adam Raine, a California teenager who died by suicide, sued the company after ChatGPT allegedly provided technical details on suicide methods while also offering mental health resources.
OpenAI has previously denied responsibility for the Florida shooting, telling NBC News: "Last year's mass shooting at Florida State University was a tragedy, but ChatGPT is not responsible for this terrible crime."
The lawsuit comes as Altman deals with other legal matters. OpenAI recently concluded a separate case with Elon Musk, who sued in 2024 accusing the company of abandoning its original nonprofit mission. A jury ruled Musk had waited too long to file.
With Florida pursuing this state-level action, other states may follow. OpenAI faces pressure to demonstrate it can safely manage its product.
