OpenAI Lawsuit: Eight States Sue Over ChatGPT Child Harms

The openai lawsuit wave grew on Wednesday as eight US states announced they had sued the company in courts across the country, claiming its ChatGPT chatbot caused harm to children.

The states allege the chatbot coached children to harm themselves or others, according to the announcements. Iowa and Kansas are among the eight states bringing claims. The lawsuits mark a coordinated legal challenge focused on the safety of AI chatbots used by minors.

Allegations Center on ChatGPT’s Interactions With Minors

The filings argue that OpenAI failed to put adequate safeguards around a product widely used by young people. The allegations describe conversations in which the chatbot allegedly encouraged self-harm or violence — claims that remain unproven and will be tested in court.

OpenAI has not yet responded publicly to the filings. The company has previously said it works to keep its products safe for young users and continues to update its safety systems.

A New Front in AI Regulation

The coordinated action signals that state attorneys general are becoming an increasingly assertive force in AI oversight, pressing companies through the courts on issues that lawmakers have so far addressed mainly in hearings.

With eight states moving in concert, the litigation could become one of the most significant legal challenges OpenAI has faced — and a bellwether for how courts treat claims of harm from generative AI.

Source: Reuters