# Florida asks court to pause OpenAI’s frontier AI work

> Florida has asked a court to stop OpenAI from developing new advanced AI models, citing risks from false answers to possible harm to public infrastructure. The request is part of a lawsuit the state filed in June and has not been granted.

Oossa · 2026-09-28 · https://oossa.com/en/florida-asks-court-to-pause-openai-s-frontier-ai-work

Florida is asking a court to put the brakes on OpenAI’s development of advanced AI models. In a new motion, the state warns that an AI agent could cause severe harm, including by disrupting a water supply or power grid. “It is only by the grace of the Almighty” that such an incident has not happened yet, the state argues.

The motion is a request for an injunction—a court order requiring a party to do, or stop doing, something. It builds on a lawsuit Florida filed in June. The court has not granted the request, and OpenAI had not responded to Ars Technica’s request for comment.

## Florida cites everyday risks, too

The state’s argument also revisits concerns that are less dramatic than catastrophic AI failures. It says companies may mislead people by describing AI as “safe, accurate, or reliable,” and raises concerns about children using models that can encourage prolonged engagement. Florida also objects to models ending answers with leading questions that invite users to keep chatting.

The motion puts particular weight on the possibility that an AI system could act in harmful ways because it misunderstood its goals. But the article notes that this emphasis may miss a more immediate risk: people deliberately using AI tools to cause harm or trying to bypass their safety protections.

## A court order would have limits

Even if the court ordered OpenAI to stop developing new models, that would not halt work by rival AI companies or remove models already available to the public. The motion also highlights a shift in the debate: concerns about extreme AI risks, once raised mainly by safety researchers, are now appearing in government legal arguments.

## The facts

- Florida filed its original lawsuit against OpenAI in June 2026.
- The state’s new motion asks a court to halt OpenAI’s development of advanced AI models.
- Florida’s motion raises concerns about children, misleading safety claims, and possible disruption to water or power services.
- OpenAI had not responded to Ars Technica’s request for comment when the article was published on September 28, 2026.

## Why it matters

The case could test whether a state court can restrict one company’s development of AI, though a ruling against OpenAI would not stop its competitors or affect models already in public use. For people, the motion also puts familiar concerns—children’s use, misleading claims, and safety protections—alongside more remote fears about catastrophic harm.

## Sources & references

1. [Florida invokes extinction fears in legal bid to halt OpenAI development](https://arstechnica.com/ai/2026/09/florida-asks-court-to-put-the-brakes-on-openais-frontier-ai-development/) – Ars Technica, 2026-09-28

Last updated: 2026-09-28