Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has filed what he calls the first state-led lawsuit in the nation against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman.
The lawsuit alleges OpenAI ignored safety warnings, misled the public about ChatGPT’s risks, and exposed children and consumers to harm.
The legal action follows a separate Florida criminal investigation into whether ChatGPT played a role in a 2025 mass shooting at Florida State University.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has filed a civil lawsuit against OpenAI and its chief executive, Sam Altman, accusing the company of knowingly releasing a dangerous artificial intelligence product while downplaying its risks to consumers.
The lawsuit, filed in Florida state court, marks what Uthmeier described as the first state-led legal action in the United States against the maker of ChatGPT. The complaint alleges OpenAI prioritized market dominance and profits over public safety, despite warnings from internal and external experts about potential harms associated with the technology.
“Today, we announced the first-in-the-nation state-led lawsuit against OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman,” Uthmeier said during a news conference in West Palm Beach.
According to the attorney general, the company ignored safety concerns and allowed a product he characterized as dangerous to reach millions of users.
The complaint’s allegations
The 83-page complaint alleges that ChatGPT can facilitate harmful behavior, including violence and self-harm, while also contributing to addiction among young users and collecting data from children without adequate parental oversight. The lawsuit further claims OpenAI misrepresented the safety and reliability of its products, violating Florida consumer protection laws.
Uthmeier’s office has increasingly focused on artificial intelligence safety issues in recent months. In April, the attorney general launched a criminal investigation into OpenAI after authorities reviewed chat logs involving Phoenix Ikner, the accused gunman in the 2025 Florida State University shooting. State officials alleged the suspect used ChatGPT to seek information about weapons, ammunition, and crowd locations before the attack.
The new civil lawsuit also references other incidents in which prosecutors claim individuals used ChatGPT while planning violent crimes. Uthmeier argued that those examples demonstrate broader concerns about the technology’s safeguards and the company’s responsibility for preventing misuse.
The company’s response
In a statement to the media, OpenAI said it has implemented safety measures aimed at protecting users, particularly minors, including parental controls and age-detection tools. The company emphasized its ongoing efforts to strengthen AI safety and stated that the tragedies cited in the lawsuit are deeply serious.
The case could become a major test of how far states can go in holding artificial intelligence companies accountable for the actions of users and the societal impacts of AI systems.
Uthmeier said he hopes other states will pursue similar actions as policymakers and regulators continue debating how best to oversee rapidly advancing AI technologies.