Eight US States Sue OpenAI Over Child Safety Concerns About ChatGPT

The Lawsuits

Eight US states have filed separate lawsuits against OpenAI, accusing the company of harming children and misleading customers about the safety of its ChatGPT chatbot. The complaints were filed by Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, West Virginia, Arkansas, Arizona, Idaho, and Montana, and were first reported by Reuters.

The lawsuits allege that OpenAI unlawfully prioritized profits over safety while developing ChatGPT and violated local consumer protection laws by failing to warn customers about the chatbot's dangers. Several of the complaints reference earlier lawsuits filed by family members of teens and adults who claim the AI chatbot played a role in their loved ones' deaths.

Alleged Harms to Young Users

The states claim OpenAI presented ChatGPT as a safe, youth-appropriate tool that puts safety first, while the product was actually dangerous to vulnerable users. The lawsuits cite allegations that the chatbot degrades critical thinking skills, encourages paranoias and delusions, offers dangerous medical advice, and promotes unhealthy behaviors and relationships.

The complaints also accuse OpenAI of collecting data from minors and not doing enough to prevent underage users from accessing the chatbot. Additionally, the lawsuits cite recent rogue AI hacking incidents as evidence of what they describe as the company's recklessness.

Arizona's lawsuit claims OpenAI has shifted from its original mission as a public-first nonprofit that prioritized safety into a cautionary tale about what happens when the development of a tool as powerful as AI is driven by a profit-focused mindset that sidelines essential safeguards.

OpenAI Responds

In an emailed statement, OpenAI spokesperson Drew Pusateri said the company has built industry-leading age-specific protections into ChatGPT. He pointed to existing measures including parental controls, break reminders, and age-appropriate model protections, and said the company will continue working with experts to build additional safeguards.

Pusateri added that OpenAI is committed to working with states on advancing pragmatic AI policies that apply to the entire AI industry, not just one company.

What the States Are Seeking

The states are asking the courts to force OpenAI to pay a series of civil penalties and to stop misleading the public about ChatGPT's safety. Some states are also seeking the deletion of personal data they say was unlawfully collected.

Sources: The Verge · Engadget