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Legal pressure is mounting on OpenAI as Florida pursues both civil and criminal investigations that state officials say could expose the company to potentially billions of dollars in damages.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier joined FOX Business’ Stuart Varney on “Varney & Co.” to discuss Florida’s lawsuit against OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, and what he described as evidence that the platform poses risks to children without stronger safeguards.
The lawsuit comes as lawmakers and regulators across the country debate how artificial intelligence should be regulated, particularly as younger users increasingly turn to AI chatbots for companionship, advice and information.
Uthmeier argued Florida’s investigation uncovered examples of harmful interactions involving ChatGPT and said the company failed to implement adequate protections for minors.
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“Our evidence shows countless examples of ChatGPT being used to encourage, aid and assist individuals, including children, in finding ways to hurt themselves, commit suicide, carry out violent attacks, even murder other people… We’re going to hold them accountable,” Uthmeier said.
Uthmeier also pointed to the 2025 mass shooting at Florida State University, claiming investigators found evidence the suspect used ChatGPT while planning the attack. The allegation is part of the broader argument Florida is making as it seeks increased oversight of AI platforms.
“The FSU shooter, we know for sure, was consulting ChatGPT on what guns to use, what ammo to use, what time of day to carry out the attack where he might run into as many people as possible on campus,” AG Uthmeier said.
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Those concerns have led Florida officials to push for stronger age-verification requirements and additional safeguards for younger users. Uthmeier compared the issue to Florida’s recent efforts to restrict social media access for children under 16, arguing AI platforms may require similar protections.
“What we want is programmatic changes to ensure that children cannot access this platform without parental controls being put in place,” Uthmeier said.
Uthmeier said Florida is seeking both significant financial penalties and platform changes, adding that OpenAI could be “exposed for possibly billions in damages here in the state of Florida.”
OpenAI has pushed back on claims that ChatGPT encourages harmful behavior, pointing instead to safety features designed to limit dangerous content and provide additional protections for younger users.
OpenAI did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
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