Eight US states have filed lawsuits against OpenAI, accusing the maker of ChatGPT of putting residents at risk by allowing its chatbot to push users, teenagers among them, towards self-harm and violence.
The cases were brought by the attorneys general of Iowa, Kansas, Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska and West Virginia, Reuters reported on Wednesday.
According to the news agency, the bipartisan group filed separately in their own state courts rather than in a single joint action, though the suits make broadly similar claims.
Also Read | Layoffs Are Rising In Tech, But These Skills Are Helping People Unlock Better Pay
At the heart of the complaints is how ChatGPT is built. The states allege the chatbot is deliberately designed to be agreeable and engaging so that users come to trust it.
In their telling, they argued that the alleged design leads it to feed users’ delusions, encourage risky behaviour and help people plan acts of violence, including mass shootings.
The attorneys general contend that OpenAI broke state consumer protection laws by giving users a misleading picture of how safe the product is. They also argue the company created a public nuisance by endangering residents’ health.
Beyond financial penalties and damages, the states want courts to compel changes to how ChatGPT operates. One demand is to stop OpenAI from developing AI models capable of improving themselves unless it can show they remain aligned with human values.
ALSO READ | OpenAI Names Indian-Origin Uday Ruddarraju To Lead Data Center, Computing Unit
Reuters described the filings as the most significant coordinated state action against an AI company to date.
Florida’s attorney general had filed the first state lawsuit of this kind in June, and the latest cases extend that effort to more states across the political divide.
The suits add to the company’s mounting legal burden. OpenAI also faces dozens of cases from private plaintiffs who allege ChatGPT helped users plan mass shootings or other violence.
The timing is notable, as OpenAI is preparing for a public listing. Litigation of this scale, along with the prospect of court-ordered product changes and financial penalties, could become a factor for investors weighing the company’s risks once it lists.
The cases also point to growing unease in the US over how conversational AI tools interact with young and vulnerable users. The states’ argument rests on the idea that a chatbot built to please and retain users can do real harm when it validates dangerous thinking instead of challenging it.
Essential Business Intelligence,
Sharp Market Insights,
Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
