Eight states sue OpenAI over ChatGPT safety and child-protection claims

The cases could force OpenAI to change what it says about ChatGPT’s safety and how it handles minors’ data.

Eight US states have sued OpenAI, arguing that ChatGPT’s design, marketing, and data practices put children and other vulnerable users at risk and violate consumer-protection laws. The complaints, brought by Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, West Virginia, Arkansas, Arizona, Idaho, and Montana, say OpenAI overstated the chatbot’s safety, ignored harms tied to teen deaths and bad medical advice, and failed to do enough to block underage use or protect minors’ data. The states want courts to impose civil penalties, force OpenAI to stop making misleading safety claims, and in some cases order deletion of improperly collected personal data. One of the filings also asks to pause testing of advanced AI models until adequate safeguards are in place.