Florida has become the first US state to file a lawsuit against the artificial intelligence company OpenAI, alleging that its flagship chatbot, ChatGPT, caused a range of harms and that the company knowingly released an unsafe product despite warnings about potential risks.
The lawsuit, filed on Monday by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, accuses OpenAI of allowing ChatGPT to assist mass shooters, encourage users to commit suicide, impair critical thinking skills and contribute to addiction among minors, The Wall Street Journal reported.
According to the filing, the alleged harms stem from what the lawsuit describes as OpenAI's pursuit of dominance in the rapidly expanding AI sector.
"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," the lawsuit states.
The complaint also names OpenAI co-founder and chief executive Sam Altman, alleging that he allowed the chatbot to be released despite known safety concerns.
'Up to billions of dollars'
The Florida attorney general is seeking stronger protections for minor users and damages set at $10,000 per violation.
"We believe that OpenAI and its ChatGPT and Sam Altman personally are liable for potentially up to billions of dollars," he said.
The attorney general invited other states "that want to protect kids" to join the lawsuit.
The legal action follows a criminal investigation launched by Uthmeier in April after prosecutors examined the role ChatGPT allegedly played in a shooting at Florida State University last year.
Authorities said the suspect, Phoenix Ikner, used ChatGPT to assist in planning the attack.
The lawsuit marks the first state-level legal challenge against OpenAI and could intensify scrutiny of AI companies over safety, accountability and the societal impact of their products.
