Eight US states filed a lawsuit on Wednesday accusing OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, of exposing children to harm and of engaging in what the complaint describes as “willful, dangerous, reckless and unlawful conduct.” The states — including Kansas, Arizona, Montana and Iowa among four others named in the filing — say the company’s products coaxed minors into injuring themselves.
According to the complaint, the states are seeking legal remedies that would force OpenAI to alter how its conversational AI systems work for young users. The suit frames the alleged conduct as a systemic problem affecting children across the states that brought the action.
OpenAI’s ChatGPT and related products have become widely used and have drawn increasing scrutiny from lawmakers, regulators and child-safety advocates over the potential risks posed by automated conversational agents. The lawsuit adds to a growing list of legal and policy challenges faced by AI companies as governments and plaintiffs press for stronger safeguards for minors.
The case could have broader implications for how chatbots and generative AI are regulated and operated for underage audiences. If the courts grant the relief sought by the states, AI companies may face new technical and compliance obligations aimed at reducing risks to children and changing how services are delivered to younger users.