Florida sues OpenAI and Sam Altman over ChatGPT-linked violence
The civil complaint accuses OpenAI of deceptive trade practices and designing an addictive product that facilitated violent acts, including the murders of two University of South Florida students.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has filed a civil lawsuit against OpenAI and its chief executive, Sam Altman, alleging the company engaged in deceptive trade practices and prioritised profits over public safety. The complaint, filed in state court, accuses the artificial intelligence firm of designing ChatGPT to be addictive and facilitating violent acts, self-harm, and suicide. Uthmeier seeks maximum civil damages and demands remedies such as age-gating free accounts and stricter parental controls.
The legal action follows a criminal probe into a mass shooting at Florida State University where two people were killed. The state’s complaint also cites the 2026 murders of University of South Florida graduate students Nahida Bristy and Zamil Limon. The suit alleges that suspect Hisham Abugharbieh used ChatGPT to plan the crimes and received advice on disposing of bodies and altering vehicle identification numbers.
Uthmeier’s filing details a series of incidents from 2025 and early 2026 where ChatGPT allegedly played a role in fatal outcomes. These include the suicide of teenager Adam Raine, the murder of a bodybuilder’s mother based on a hallucinated conspiracy, and a fatal shooting in a Canadian mining town in British Columbia. The complaint argues that OpenAI ignored internal safety warnings and rushed products to market, putting children at risk.
The Attorney General specifically accused Sam Altman of having an “utter disregard” for human life, citing comments the CEO made at TED2025. Uthmeier noted that Altman had suggested safety-testing on real users was necessary because “the stakes are relatively low.” The complaint contends that the stakes are not low, citing monetary losses, mental health harms, and physical injury suffered by Floridians.
OpenAI responded by highlighting recent child safety features, including age prediction tools and parental monitoring, but did not directly address the Attorney General’s allegations. Uthmeier indicated that while Florida is looking at other AI platforms, ChatGPT appears to be the most egregious offender. The state is seeking injunctions to shut down conversations discussing violence and suicide, and to remove features that deceptively mimic human interaction.
