Eight US States Sue OpenAI Over ChatGPT Safety as the Company Denies Wrongdoing and Points to Its Safeguards

OpenAI now faces a legal fight on several fronts at once. Attorneys general from eight states — Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska and West Virginia — filed separate lawsuits against the ChatGPT maker in their own state courts on Wednesday. The group crosses party lines, which makes it harder to dismiss as a single camp’s campaign.

What the states allege

The states argue that the company misled users about how safe its chatbot is and broke state consumer-protection laws. Their filings also allege that the chatbot gave harmful advice to some users, including minors. None of this has been tested in court yet: these are allegations, not findings, and OpenAI contests them. Iowa’s attorney general, Brenna Bird, accused the company of failing children and said the case was about holding it to state law.

What they are asking for

The suits ask courts to require stronger protections for young users, tighter age-based safeguards, and monetary penalties and damages. Some filings also seek relief linked to younger users’ data and to profits earned from them. Florida brought the first state case of this kind in June, so Wednesday’s filings are being described as the largest coordinated state action against an AI company so far. Because each state filed separately, the cases will move through different courts and could take years.

The company’s reply

OpenAI denies wrongdoing. Its spokesperson, Drew Pusateri, says ChatGPT already carries parental controls, break reminders and protections that vary by a user’s age, and that the company is working with states to improve safety further. The service is offered to users aged 13 and over, with parental permission required for under-18s, the company says.