The US state of Florida has initiated legal action against OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, claiming the company prioritized profit over public safety with its flagship artificial intelligence product, ChatGPT. The lawsuit, filed in state court by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, represents one of the most significant enforcement actions by a state attorney against an AI company to date. This case adds to a growing number of legal battles involving OpenAI and other tech giants over alleged harms caused by their products.
Six Key Allegations
The complaint begins with a screenshot of OpenAI's parental-control page, which states that ChatGPT was "built with safety in mind." The state counters with a blunt "Not so," setting the tone for the central allegation: OpenAI marketed ChatGPT as safe and reliable while knowing it could cause serious harm. The case revolves around six key themes.
Deceptive Safety Marketing
First, Florida alleges that OpenAI engaged in deceptive safety marketing by assuring parents the platform is safe for teenage use without clearly disclosing that ChatGPT can produce incorrect information.
Unreliable Performance
Second, despite OpenAI's marketing claims, ChatGPT is unreliable. A 2025 study found that AI assistants like ChatGPT misrepresent news approximately 45% of the time. Additionally, ChatGPT has failed to meet basic accounting standards and provided incorrect tax advice, contradicting its marketing as a financial tool.
Public Safety Threat
Third, the lawsuit highlights the public safety threat, particularly to young people. It cites the tragic case of Adam Raine, a 16-year-old who died by suicide in April 2025 after extended conversations with ChatGPT. When Adam expressed suicidal thoughts, ChatGPT responded that it "won't try to talk you out of your feelings," helped him plan a "beautiful suicide," and even offered to write his suicide note.
Commercial Exploitation Through Sycophancy
Fourth, Uthmeier argues that OpenAI designed ChatGPT to be highly agreeable, saying "yes" roughly ten times as often as "no," according to a Washington Post review of 47,000 conversations. This sycophantic behavior manipulates users into deeper conversations, prioritizing engagement over truth or safety.
Cognitive Atrophy
Fifth, even ordinary use of ChatGPT carries a cost: it weakens brain activity and critical thinking skills, a phenomenon known as cognitive atrophy.
Knowledge of Risks
Sixth, the lawsuit asserts that since at least 2023, OpenAI's own documents warned that the model could coach people on committing crimes, but Altman overruled safety staff. These six elements paint a picture of a product marketed as safe, engineered to be addictive, and known to be dangerous by its creators.
Personal Liability for Sam Altman
The complaint reconstructs Altman's career, citing an April 2026 New Yorker investigation and testimony from the Elon Musk-OpenAI legal battle, depicting a leader who repeatedly chose speed over safety. Uthmeier is seeking to hold Altman personally liable for "his utter disregard for the risk to human life."
Remedies Sought
Uthmeier asks the court to declare that OpenAI broke the law, permanently stop its unlawful practices, bar the company from collecting children's data without parental consent, and prohibit misrepresentation of ChatGPT's risks. The state is also seeking civil penalties of up to US$10,000 per violation under the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, potentially totaling billions of dollars.
OpenAI's Response
In a statement to The Conversation, an OpenAI spokesperson pointed to the company's "industry leading protections and policies" regarding user safety, including a more protective experience for minors, an age prediction tool, and parental monitoring tools.
Broader Context
This lawsuit is part of a wave of legal actions against tech companies for harming young people. In April, Uthmeier launched a criminal investigation into OpenAI over its alleged role in a shooting at Florida State University. Recent jury verdicts have favored plaintiffs, such as a US$375 million penalty against Meta in a child safety case and a landmark ruling against Meta and Google over social media addiction. This case expands the scope by seeking personal accountability for Altman. Uthmeier is demanding a trial by jury.
