Eight US states have filed separate lawsuits accusing OpenAI of putting profits ahead of safety and misleading customers about ChatGPT. The states are Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, West Virginia, Arkansas, Arizona, Idaho and Montana.
The complaints cite lawsuits brought by relatives of teenagers and adults who say ChatGPT played a role in their loved ones’ deaths. Those cases are cited as part of the states’ allegations; the lawsuits against OpenAI do not establish that the claims are true.
What the states allege
The states say OpenAI presented ChatGPT as a safe, youth-appropriate tool while failing to warn customers about potential harms. The complaints allege the chatbot can weaken critical thinking, encourage paranoia or delusions, give dangerous medical advice, and promote unhealthy behaviors and relationships.
They also accuse OpenAI of collecting data from minors and not doing enough to prevent underage users from accessing the chatbot. The lawsuits cite recent AI hacking incidents as evidence of what they describe as the company’s recklessness, without specifying further details in the report.
The states say OpenAI violated consumer protection laws. They are asking courts to impose civil penalties and order the company to stop misleading the public about ChatGPT’s safety. Some states also want personal data they say was collected unlawfully to be deleted.
OpenAI points to safeguards
OpenAI spokesperson Drew Pusateri said the company has built “industry-leading age-specific protections” into ChatGPT. He pointed to parental controls, break reminders and age-appropriate model protections, while acknowledging that “no system can be perfect.”
The company said it would keep working with experts and states on AI policies. The report does not say when the courts will consider the cases or whether any requested penalties or data-deletion orders will be granted.
Why it matters
For parents, the lawsuits put the handling of underage users and ChatGPT’s child-safety protections under legal scrutiny. The states are asking for court orders, but the report does not say whether judges will grant them or establish that the allegations are true.
