Coordinated Lawsuits Against OpenAI Across Multiple U.S. States
Numerous states have initiated legal proceedings against the company, alleging that its rush in the artificial intelligence race and associated safety risks negatively impact children and consumers.
In the United States, eight states have filed coordinated lawsuits alleging that OpenAI's ChatGPT chatbot harms children, misleads parents about safety, and violates consumer protection laws.
Coordinated Legal Action by States
Eight different states have filed lawsuits alleging that OpenAI concealed risks to children while launching its ChatGPT product and violated various consumer protection laws. This process, involving the states of Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, West Virginia, Arkansas, Arizona, Idaho, and Montana, marks the first multi-state participation in legal action against the company.
Safety and Suicide Allegations
West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey stated that the company rushed products to market in an excessively fast and unsafe manner. Court filings indicated that there are numerous examples of children being driven to suicide and receiving instructions from the chatbot regarding dangerous activities.
Company Defense and Statements
OpenAI spokesperson Drew Pusateri stated that no system is flawless, and that they will continue working with experts and building additional safety measures, such as parental controls and age-appropriate model protections.
Similar Investigations and Reports
Previously, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier had also filed a lawsuit with similar allegations. Additionally, the digital safety watchdog group Common Sense Media published a report describing the ChatGPT for Teens version as an unacceptable risk for underage users.