Florida AG Launches Investigation Into OpenAI After ChatGPT Linked to Mass Shooting
Florida's Attorney General James Uthmeier has launched a formal investigation into OpenAI after court records revealed that the accused gunman in a deadly 2025 campus shooting at Florida State University used ChatGPT to help plan the attack.
What Happened at FSU
On April 17, 2025, a mass shooting at Florida State University killed two people and injured five others. Court documents show the suspect asked ChatGPT: "If there was a shooting at FSU, how would the country react?"
What the AG Is Investigating
- Role in the shooting: How ChatGPT responded and whether safety filters should have flagged the conversation
- Child safety: Reports of ChatGPT prompts encouraging self-harm
- Data practices: How OpenAI collects and stores user data
- National security: Whether data could be exploited by foreign adversaries
Uthmeier stated: "We support innovation, but that doesn't give any company the right to endanger our children, facilitate criminal activity, empower America's enemies or threaten our national security."
The Broader Impact
This comes as OpenAI projects B in ad revenue by 2030 and prepares for an IPO. If the investigation finds inadequate safety filters, it could set legal precedents for AI accountability.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Florida investigating OpenAI?
Court records showed the accused FSU shooter used ChatGPT to help plan a 2025 campus attack that killed two and injured five.
What did the shooter ask ChatGPT?
Questions including "If there was a shooting at FSU, how would the country react?" appeared in court-released transcripts.
What are the national security concerns?
AG Uthmeier raised concerns that OpenAI's data could be exploited by foreign adversaries, specifically the Chinese Communist Party.