Eight states sue OpenAI over ChatGPT safety and data practices
Eight U.S. states filed lawsuits against OpenAI, alleging ChatGPT poses risks to minors and that personal data was collected without consent. The states seek financial penalties, age verification, and a halt to self-improving AI development.
Eight US states—Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, and West Virginia—filed lawsuits against OpenAI, alleging that ChatGPT was marketed as safe while posing risks to minors, including encouraging self-harm and suicide. The states claim OpenAI collected personal data from minors without proper consent and seek financial penalties, damages, and the surrender of revenues. Specific demands include age verification, usage time limits, and data deletion. Arkansas specifically requested a halt to the development of self-improving AI models until adequate safety measures are in place.
OpenAI cited existing parental controls and pledged to expand protections. The plaintiffs argue that the company minimized the risks of ChatGPT for minors and misleadingly presented the chatbot as safe. The legal action represents a significant escalation in state-level enforcement against major AI developers regarding user safety and data privacy.