Florida sues OpenAI and Sam Altman over safety concerns

On Monday, James Uthmeier, the Florida Attorney General—who serves as the state’s top law enforcement official—announced a first-of-its-kind state-led lawsuit against OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman. The 83-page lawsuit, filed in Florida, accuses the defendants of prioritizing winning the AI arms race and amassing large fortunes over safety concerns. According to Uthmeier, “OpenAI and Altman ignored internal and external safety warnings, put children at great risk, and allowed a dangerous product to reach millions of Floridians.”

The lawsuit alleges that OpenAI’s actions have had real-world consequences. The filing claims that because of the defendants’ misrepresentations about ChatGPT and their careless introduction of the tool to Florida and the world, mass shooters have been aided and abetted in deadly rampages, vulnerable people have been encouraged into suicide, and minors have become addicted to the platform. This follows a criminal investigation launched in April by the Florida attorney general’s office to examine the chatbot’s potential role in a mass shooting that occurred last year at Florida State University.

OpenAI has denied responsibility for the Florida State University shooting. An OpenAI spokesperson stated that while the mass shooting last year was a tragedy, ChatGPT is not responsible for this terrible crime. The company also recently concluded a separate legal case involving former co-founder Elon Musk, who sued OpenAI in 2024. That case concluded because the statute of limitations had passed.

Why it matters

This lawsuit represents a significant escalation in state-level regulatory scrutiny of AI companies, moving beyond federal oversight to direct legal action linking AI deployment to real-world harm.