Florida Sues OpenAI Over ChatGPT Harms

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier initiated a civil lawsuit against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman on Monday. This action marks Florida as the first state to sue the artificial intelligence company regarding concerns about ChatGPT's design and safety features.

The complaint outlines charges such as deceptive trade practices, negligence, and product liability violations. It specifically alleges that ChatGPT poses a "great danger of addiction, cognitive decline, suicide, violence, and related harms." The lawsuit seeks monetary penalties and injunctive relief, pushing for changes like parental controls to protect children.

Personal liability is also sought against Sam Altman for alleged "reckless and willful conduct." The suit references incidents like the Florida State University mass shooting and the deaths of two graduate students as alleged real-world harms linked to ChatGPT. The complaint further contends that the chatbot's affirming nature fosters dependency and that its marketing misleads consumers about its tendency to generate false information.

This civil suit joins other legal actions against OpenAI. Previous private litigation has asserted that OpenAI's products contributed to user suicides or psychotic breaks. In January, Kentucky's attorney general also filed suit against chatbot company Character.AI over alleged dangers to minors.