Florida has filed what state officials described as the first state-led lawsuit against OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, accusing the artificial intelligence company of misleading consumers about the risks of ChatGPT and failing to protect children from harmful interactions with the chatbot.
Attorney General James Uthmeier announced the civil action on Monday, saying OpenAI "knowingly released and aggressively marketed ChatGPT" to the public, including minors, while concealing serious safety concerns.
The lawsuit accuses the company of suppressing internal warnings, downplaying dangers, and putting commercial growth ahead of user safety. "OpenAI and Altman ignored internal and external safety warnings, put children at great risk, and allowed a dangerous product to reach millions of Floridians," Uthmeier said in a statement.
The complaint, filed in a Florida state court, alleges that OpenAI violated state consumer protection laws by presenting ChatGPT as safe and reliable while knowing the tool could generate dangerous responses, encourage harmful behavior, and create dependency among vulnerable users. The state is seeking damages on behalf of Floridians and a court order to stop what it calls deceptive and dangerous practices.
The lawsuit also names Altman personally. The case builds on a criminal investigation Uthmeier's office launched in April after prosecutors reviewed chat logs between ChatGPT and Phoenix Ikner, the suspect accused of opening fire at Florida State University on April 17, 2025. Two people were killed, and several others were injured in the shooting.
State officials have alleged that Ikner used ChatGPT while planning the attack. OpenAI has denied that its product encouraged violence, saying its systems are designed to reject harmful requests and direct users toward real-world help when appropriate. Vandana Joshi, the widow of one of Ikner's victims, Tiru Chabba, is also suing OpenAI for ChatGPT's role in the shooting.
The Florida lawsuit also cites broader concerns about how AI chatbots interact with children and teenagers. The complaint alleges that ChatGPT collects data from minors without sufficient parental oversight, mimics empathy in ways that can encourage emotional attachment, and may cause cognitive or behavioral harm.
"Protecting our children means teaching them to navigate not just the real people behind the screens, but the artificial minds engineered to mimic them," Florida Department of Law Enforcement Special Agent in Charge Mike Duffey said. OpenAI has said in previous statements that it works with safety experts, mental health professionals, and law enforcement when serious threats are detected. The company has also said its models are trained not to provide instructions for violence or self-harm.
