Eight US states sue OpenAI, alleging ChatGPT is unsafe for children and that the company misled customers about safety

Eight US states filed separate lawsuits against OpenAI in their own state courts, alleging ChatGPT is unsafe for children and that OpenAI misled customers about its safety practices.

The states are Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, West Virginia, Arkansas, Arizona, Idaho, and Montana. The lawsuits allege OpenAI unlawfully put profits over safety, and that the company violated local consumer protection laws by failing to warn customers about the dangers of ChatGPT.

States cite deaths and dangerous advice

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird announced the lawsuits in a release. The lawsuits cite wrongful death lawsuits alleging ChatGPT played a role in users’ deaths, and they allege ChatGPT gave dangerous medical advice. Bird alleged ChatGPT is encouraging people to hurt others and coaching people to commit suicide while pretending to be their fake friend. “OpenAI claims ChatGPT is safe while it’s giving dangerous medical advice, encouraging people to hurt others, and coaching people to commit suicide — all while pretending to be their fake friend. My lawsuit is about protecting our kids and holding OpenAI accountable under our state law,” Bird said. The lawsuits cite recent rogue AI hacking incidents as evidence of OpenAI’s alleged recklessness. The states also accuse OpenAI of collecting data from minors and not doing enough to keep underage users from using the chatbot.

OpenAI spokesperson Drew Pusateri said the company has built age-specific protections into its product. Pusateri said OpenAI is working with states to advance policies that will apply to the entire AI industry. He said no system can be perfect and that OpenAI will continue to work with experts to build additional safeguards including parental controls, break reminders, and age-appropriate model protections.

Prior state action and OpenAI’s teen product

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier sued OpenAI in June, alleging the company knowingly released an unsafe product that could harm users. That action is separate from the eight new lawsuits filed this week. In August, OpenAI launched a dedicated experience for minors called ChatGPT for Teens. The product includes educational features and age-appropriate safeguards intended to reduce exposure to developmentally inappropriate or harmful content. Arizona’s lawsuit claims OpenAI devolved from its original mission as a public-first nonprofit into a cautionary tale about a profit-at-all-costs mindset.

The states are asking courts to force OpenAI to pay civil penalties and to stop misleading the public about ChatGPT’s safety. Some states are seeking the deletion of unlawfully collected personal data. The Verge reported the story was first reported by Reuters.