OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman were hit with a lawsuit by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, who alleges the company promoted ChatGPT while downplaying safety risks and prioritizing financial gains. The case seeks civil penalties and a court order, and it also attempts to hold Altman personally responsible for alleged harms to Florida residents.
The complaint, reviewed and filed on Monday, was reported by NBC News and describes what it calls a pattern of deception tied to user data and safety. In the filing, Florida argues OpenAI's products can contribute to outcomes including addiction, self-harm, and violence.
Uthmeier's office brought a wide set of claims, including allegations of deceptive and unfair trade practices, negligence, product liability violations, and fraudulent misrepresentation, along with a public nuisance count.
"Losing a child is the most devastating tragedy that can happen to a family and we know that no words can come close to addressing the pain of such a loss. AI is a new and powerful technology, and we believe minors need significant protection, which is why we have put in place industry leading protections and policies," a spokesperson for OpenAI told Benzinga in an emailed statement.
"In particular we built safety for minors directly into our products, including a more protective experience specifically for minors, an age prediction tool, defaulting users whose age we are not confident into our more protective experience, and giving parents tools to monitor their kids' use of AI. We know pointing to this work will not bring a child back, but we're committed to getting this right."
Benzinga reached out to the Attorney General's office for comment, but did not hear back at the time of publication.
The lawsuit is separate from a criminal probe Uthmeier opened in early April that remains underway.
The lawsuit cites alleged links between ChatGPT use and violent crimes, including a shooting at Florida State University and the deaths of two graduate students at the University of South Florida, NBC News detailed.
Florida's filing also criticizes what it describes as ChatGPT's tendency to affirm users, arguing that behavior can deepen emotional dependence and encourage paid usage. The complaint claims that dynamic benefits OpenAI by increasing engagement, generating more training material, and boosting the company's valuation.
The suit lands as Florida leaders step up scrutiny of major AI developers, including a December proposal from Gov. Ron DeSantis tied to an AI bill of rights and privacy protections.
OpenAI has faced multiple lawsuits from families and representatives alleging severe mental health outcomes, including suicides and delusions. Another case cited in the report involves a teen, Sam Nelson, whose mother alleges ChatGPT contributed to his death in May 2025 after the chatbot allegedly provided dangerous guidance involving kratom and Xanax.
OpenAI's corporate structure and valuation have also drawn attention as the company has shifted from its origins as a nonprofit lab founded in 2015 toward a for-profit entity that remains under the nonprofit umbrella. OpenAI is valued at $852 billion following a $122 billion funding round in March and is reportedly preparing for an IPO.
Elon Musk, an OpenAI co-founder who left in 2018, sued the company in 2024 over claims it veered from its original mission. In May, a jury found Musk waited too long to bring the case, though he said he plans to appeal.
Recently, lawsuits have been brought against other artificial intelligence companies for similar misconduct.
Three Tennessee teenagers filed a federal class-action lawsuit against Musk's xAI, claiming its AI chatbot Grok created and spread sexualized images of them without consent.
In January, Attorney General Russell Coleman launched a lawsuit against Character.ai, alleging its chatbot preyed on children and led them into self-harm. Character.ai is also being sued by Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro's administration after its AI chatbot allegedly presented itself as a licensed psychiatrist in Pennsylvania.