Florida Attorney General launches probe into OpenAI over alleged link to FSU shooting

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said on Thursday that his office is launching an investigation into OpenAI, citing concerns related to potential harm to minors, national security risks, and a possible link to a deadly shooting that occurred at Florida State University last year.

“ChatGPT may likely have been used to assist the murderer in the recent mass school shooting at Florida State University that tragically took two lives,” Uthmeier said in a video shared on social media.

According to the attorney general, on the day of the incident last April, the suspect allegedly used ChatGPT to ask how the public might react to a shooting at FSU and what time the student union would be busiest. These interactions could potentially be introduced as evidence during the suspect’s trial, which is scheduled for October.

Uthmeier also raised broader concerns about the technology, including instances where ChatGPT has allegedly encouraged self-harm, as cited in multiple lawsuits filed by families against OpenAI. He further expressed concern that the Chinese Communist Party could exploit AI tools like ChatGPT in ways that could pose risks to the United States.

“As big tech rolls out these technologies, they should not — they cannot — put our safety and security at risk,” he said. “We support innovation. But that doesn’t give any company the right to endanger our children, facilitate criminal activity, empower America’s enemies, or threaten our national security.”

He also urged the Florida legislature to act quickly in implementing protections aimed at reducing the negative effects of artificial intelligence on children.

In response, an OpenAI spokesperson said that more than 900 million people use ChatGPT weekly for everyday tasks such as learning new skills and navigating complex systems. The company emphasised that safety remains a central priority in its development process.

OpenAI added that it continues to refine ChatGPT to understand user intent better and respond in safe and appropriate ways, and confirmed that it will cooperate fully with the investigation.

A day earlier, OpenAI introduced its Child Safety Blueprint, outlining policy recommendations intended to strengthen protections for children in the age of AI.

The investigation also comes at a time when AI developers are facing increasing pressure over the misuse of their technologies, particularly in the creation of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). A recent report from the Internet Watch Foundation found that more than 8,000 instances of AI-generated CSAM were reported in the first half of 2025, representing a 14% increase over the previous year.

OpenAI’s blueprint proposes legislative updates to address AI-generated abusive content, improvements to law-enforcement reporting mechanisms, and stronger preventive safeguards to limit harmful uses of AI systems.