Florida probes OpenAI over alleged links to FSU shooting

James Uthmeier, the Florida Attorney General—the state’s top law enforcement official—announced on Thursday an investigation into OpenAI. The probe focuses on the company’s alleged harm to minors, its potential to threaten national security, and a possible link to a shooting at Florida State University last April that tragically took two lives.

In a video posted to social media, Uthmeier stated that “ChatGPT may likely have been used to assist the murderer in the recent mass school shooting at Florida State University that tragically took two lives” during the attack. On the day of the shooting, the suspect allegedly asked ChatGPT how the country would react to a shooting at the university and what times the student union would be busiest. These queries could potentially be used as evidence in an October trial. Uthmeier also raised concerns that ChatGPT may encourage suicide in certain instances, and asserted that the Chinese Communist Party could use OpenAI’s technology against the United States. He argued that while he supports innovation, companies do not have the right to endanger children, facilitate criminal activity, empower enemies, or threaten national security.

Additionally, the investigation comes amid broader pressure on chatbot developers regarding child sexual abuse material (CSAM). According to a report from the Internet Watch Foundation, there were over 8,000 reports of AI-generated CSAM in the first half of 2025, representing a 14% increase year over year.

OpenAI stated that it will cooperate with the Florida attorney general’s investigation. An OpenAI spokesperson noted that more than 900 million people use ChatGPT weekly to improve their daily lives, such as by learning new skills or navigating complex healthcare systems, and that the company’s ongoing safety work plays an important role in delivering these benefits. On Wednesday, OpenAI unveiled its Child Safety Blueprint, which recommends updating legislation to protect against AI-generated abuse material, refining the reporting process to law enforcement, and instituting better preventative safeguards against abusive uses of AI tools.

Why it matters

This investigation marks a significant escalation in regulatory pressure on AI companies within the United States. It forces developers to defend their safety protocols against state-level accusations of facilitating criminal activity and threatening national security.