Florida Attorney General James Utmeyer announced on Thursday that his office plans to investigate OpenAI regarding ChatGPT's alleged role in a fatal shooting incident last year.
In April 2025, a shooter opened fire on the campus of Florida State University, resulting in two deaths and five injuries. Last week, an attorney representing one of the victims claimed that the perpetrator had used ChatGPT to plan the attack. The victims' families have stated they intend to sue OpenAI over the matter.
Utmeyer stated that ChatGPT, which boasts over 900 million weekly active users, has been linked to various types of criminal activity, including child sexual abuse material and the encouragement of suicide and self-harm.
"Artificial intelligence should advance humanity, not destroy it," Utmeyer said in a statement posted on the X platform. "We are demanding that OpenAI provide explanations for its actions that have harmed minors, endangered the safety of American citizens, and facilitated the recent mass shooting at Florida State University. Those who do harm must be held accountable." Utmeyer added that subpoenas would be "issued shortly" during the investigation.
Elon Musk responded to Utmeyer's post, writing: "This sycophantic approach by ChatGPT must stop. They maximize their revenue by deceiving users and catering to their dangerous fantasies!"
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