State Legal Actions
OpenAI is facing a new wave of lawsuits from eight US states that accuse the company of harming children and misleading customers about the safety of ChatGPT. The lawsuits, filed separately by Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, West Virginia, Arkansas, Arizona, Idaho, and Montana, allege OpenAI unlawfully put profits over safety when developing ChatGPT.
Eight states sue OpenAI, saying ChatGPT isn’t safe for kids
OpenAI is accused of misleading the public about its chatbot’s safety and putting everyone at risk.
Consumer Protection and Safety Allegations
The string of complaints claims that OpenAI violated local consumer protection laws by failing to warn customers about the dangers of ChatGPT, citing several lawsuits filed by the family members of teens and adults that allege the AI chatbot played a role in their loved ones’ deaths. They allege that while OpenAI misleadingly presented ChatGPT as a safe, youth-appropriate tool that puts safety first, it was actually dangerous to vulnerable users—including by degrading critical thinking skills, encouraging paranoias and delusions, offering dangerous medical advice, and promoting unhealthy behaviors and relationships.
Additionally, the states accuse OpenAI of collecting data from minors and not doing enough to keep underage users from using the chatbot. The lawsuits also cite recent rogue AI hacking incidents as evidence of OpenAI’s alleged recklessness.
Company Response and Legal Demands
OpenAI has faced criticism from state officials regarding its shift from a public-first nonprofit into a commercial entity driven by a profit-focused approach that reportedly sidelines essential safeguards.
In an official statement, an OpenAI spokesperson stated that the company has built industry-leading age-specific protections into ChatGPT.
While no system can be perfect, the company indicated it will continue to work with experts to inform its work and build additional safeguards, such as parental controls, break reminders, and age-appropriate model protections. The organization also expressed a commitment to working with states on advancing pragmatic AI policies that apply to the entire AI industry rather than just one company.
The states are asking the courts to force OpenAI to pay a series of civil penalties and to stop misleading the public about the safety of ChatGPT. Some states are also seeking the deletion of unlawfully collected personal data.
Updates to the ongoing litigation reflect the newly added statements from the company.
