Florida has initiated a lawsuit against OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, claiming they prioritized profits over user safety with ChatGPT. The suit, filed in a Florida state court, accuses the company of failing to adequately warn users about potential dangers of the chatbot. It alleges that ChatGPT was marketed as safe and reliable, including for children, while it may pose significant risks.
According to the lawsuit, OpenAI is accused of contributing to several harmful incidents. These include aiding mass shooters and encouraging vulnerable individuals toward suicide. It also claims ChatGPT is addictive for children and compromises data privacy without effective parental oversight.
“This litany of harms is driven by Defendants’ insatiable quest to win the AI arms race and amass large fortunes, despite knowing the danger of ChatGPT,” stated the complaint.
Florida seeks to hold CEO Sam Altman personally responsible as well. Attorney General James Uthmeier announced at a press conference that Altman and OpenAI might face significant penalties, potentially amounting to billions of dollars. Uthmeier emphasized the tragedy of losing a child, highlighting the serious implications of AI safety shortcomings.
OpenAI’s spokesperson, Kayla Wood, responded by emphasizing their commitment to protecting minors. In an email to NPR, Wood stated that OpenAI has implemented industry-leading protections, including tailored safety experiences for minors and tools for parental monitoring.
The lawsuit questions the efficacy of OpenAI’s safeguards and criticizes its parental controls as insufficient, labeling the company as creating a “dangerous public nuisance.” The initial lawsuit page features a screenshot from OpenAI’s site promoting ChatGPT’s safety, followed by the remark: “Not so.”
Moreover, Florida is separately investigating OpenAI in connection to the FSU shooting incident, where the shooter is alleged to have used ChatGPT in planning.
OpenAI faces over 20 lawsuits related to damages from ChatGPT usage, including from families affected by mass shootings or suicides allegedly linked to the chatbot. OpenAI expressed regret over these incidents and emphasized its zero-tolerance policy for using its tools in harmful activities.
Other AI companies are also embroiled in legal issues. For instance, Google’s Gemini chatbot faced a lawsuit due to a suicide case in Florida. Similarly, Character.AI settled lawsuits after its chatbots were claimed to have contributed to mental health crises among younger users.
Last month, Pennsylvania sued Character.AI, accusing its chatbots of illegally posing as medical advisors. Character.AI stated its top priority is client safety and well-being and is dedicated to setting high safety standards in the industry.