Florida Attorney General (AG) James Uthmeier has announced a criminal investigation into ChatGPT maker OpenAI. This investigation will determine whether the firm can be found liable in relation to a shooting at Florida State University that occurred in the previous year. This investigation will determine whether ChatGPT aided Phoenix Ikner before the incident.Phoenix Ikner is facing charges of killing two people and wounding six other individuals on April 17, 2025. He pleaded not guilty, and his trial date is set for October. The investigation marks a rare instance of authorities exploring potential criminal liability involving an AI company.According to a report by CNN, at a press conference this week, Uthmeier said, “If that bot were a person, they would be charged with a principal in first-degree murder. ChatGPT offered significant advice to the shooter before he committed such heinous crimes.”According to Uthmeier, Ikner submitted multiple queries to ChatGPT before the attack. This individual noted that the chatbot “advised” the perpetrator on weaponry, ammunition, “the time of the day that would be suitable for committing the crime so as to encounter more people,” and “the location within the campus that had more people.”The Florida Attorney General’s office has issued a subpoena to OpenAI to gain insight into its policies and guidelines on threat detection, self-harm, and criminal behavior.“We’re going to look at who knew what, designed what or should have known what and if it is clear that individuals knew that this type of dangerous behavior might take place,” Uthmeier said.
What OpenAI said about the investigation that is seeking its internal details
Responding to the investigation, an OpenAI spokesperson said the company does not believe its technology is responsible for the incident. “The shooting was a tragedy, but ChatGPT is not responsible for this terrible crime,” the spokesperson said in a statement to CNN.OpenAI added that it had “proactively” shared the account believed to be linked to Ikner with law enforcement following the shooting. The company also said that in this case, “ChatGPT provided factual responses to questions with information that could be found widely across public sources on the internet, and it did not encourage or promote illegal or harmful activity.”The case is part of the ongoing scrutiny of AI tools and possible misuse. Following another shooting in British Columbia earlier this year, OpenAI said it has “taken steps to strengthen our safeguards,” including adjusting how and when it alerts law enforcement about potentially harmful activity.“We work continuously to strengthen our safeguards to detect harmful intent, limit misuse, and respond appropriately when safety risks arise,” the spokesperson told CNN.
