Eight US States Sue OpenAI Over ChatGPT Risks to Children

Eight US states have filed OpenAI lawsuits alleging that ChatGPT was marketed as safe for children while it allegedly encouraged minors toward self-harm. The attorneys general of Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska and West Virginia each filed their own suits in state court, according to Engadget and The New Daily. Reports on the filings appeared on October 14. Florida filed the first state suit of this kind in June, and the new cases build on that action.

What the states allege.

The suits argue that OpenAI violated state consumer protection laws and misled customers about the safety of its products, including the risk of incorrect information and the chance that users could harm themselves or others, Engadget reports. Iowa and Nebraska cite several “rogue agent” incidents, among them the Hugging Face hack. The complaints also point to a teenager's suicide that allegedly involved ChatGPT, and to incorrect medical advice that allegedly led to a user's overdose. Both cases have also led to separate wrongful-death suits. IBTimes reports that Arizona's case, filed in Maricopa County Superior Court, is brought under the state's Consumer Fraud Act.

What the states want from the courts.

The remedies sought are broadly similar across the states. Engadget reports that they include financial penalties, clear disclosure of product risks and an end to practices the states consider deceptive. Arkansas asks the court to halt testing of advanced AI models until adequate safeguards are in place. Some states object to OpenAI keeping data from underage users. The New Daily adds that the states want court orders changing how ChatGPT works, and IBTimes reports that some seek to surrender profits earned from young users. None of the reports include dollar amounts for the penalties.

How the OpenAI lawsuits fit the wider oversight fight.

The filings come after months of pressure on the company. In September, Florida asked a judge to bar OpenAI from developing new AI models without outside oversight, IBTimes reports. Engadget lists earlier steps the company has taken, including parental controls, child protection features, an endorsement of the Kids Online Safety Act, a slowdown of frontier model development announced in August, and a voluntary safety pact organised by the White House in September. Engadget adds that it is unclear whether those changes have made the company's AI development safer. The New Daily notes that OpenAI also faces dozens of private lawsuits alleging that ChatGPT helped users plan violence.

What OpenAI has said.

The reports do not include a company statement. The New Daily says a spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and Engadget says it asked OpenAI for comment and would update its story if the company replied.

What is still unknown.

These are allegations, not findings, and no court has ruled on the claims. The reports do not say whether the eight cases will be heard together or how quickly they will move. Penalty amounts are not set. For parents and schools, the practical question is how OpenAI's age settings and data retention practices might change in response. Anyone tracking court dates across several states can line them up with the free time converter at /en/timeconverter.