An article summarized by Quartz:

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier filed a civil lawsuit against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, making Florida the first state to sue the company over alleged safety and design issues tied to ChatGPT. The lawsuit includes claims ranging from deceptive trade practices and negligence to product liability, fraud, and public nuisance. Florida argues ChatGPT presents risks including addiction, cognitive decline, violence, and harm to young users, while seeking financial penalties and court-ordered changes rather than criminal charges.

The complaint accuses Altman of reckless leadership and points to several real-world incidents as evidence of harm, including the Florida State University shooting and deaths involving graduate students at the University of South Florida. It also criticizes ChatGPT’s tendency toward “sycophancy,” alleging the chatbot reinforces users’ beliefs in ways that can create emotional dependence and potentially encourage paid subscriptions. The lawsuit further claims OpenAI’s marketing fails to adequately disclose that the chatbot can produce false or fabricated information.

OpenAI has not publicly responded to the lawsuit but has previously said safety guides its product development and that protections exist for sensitive conversations, especially involving teens. The civil action comes alongside an ongoing criminal investigation launched by Florida after the FSU shooting, which has already involved subpoenas for OpenAI documents on self-harm and violence policies. The case adds to a growing wave of legal challenges against AI companies, including lawsuits linking chatbot use to psychological harm and other state actions targeting AI platforms’ impact on minors.

For the article: https://qz.com/florida-sues-openai-sam-altman-chatgpt-safety-060126