Eight states sued OpenAI this week, alleging that the AI company caused severe harm to users, many of them underage, while downplaying the risks of its technology.
Filed individually in Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, West Virginia, Arkansas, Arizona, Idaho and Montana on Wednesday, the coordinated lawsuits claim that OpenAI engaged in “willful, dangerous, reckless and unlawful conduct” by falsely marketing its flagship chatbot, ChatGPT, as safe for consumers even as it coached users — including minors and other vulnerable people — into self-harm and suicide, pushed them to engage in violence against others, and reinforced dangerous delusions.
“OpenAI is hurting kids and they are lying to Iowans,” Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird said in a statement, according to NBC. “OpenAI claims ChatGPT is safe while it’s giving dangerous medical advice, encouraging people to hurt others, and coaching people to commit suicide — all while pretending to be their fake friend.”
In response to the lawsuits, OpenAI issued a statement to news outlets emphasizing is safety efforts, arguing that it’s “built industry-leading age-specific protections into our product that many other AI products lack.”
