Eight US states sue OpenAI, alleging ChatGPT is unsafe for children

Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, West Virginia, Arkansas, Arizona, Idaho and Montana filed separate suits claiming OpenAI violated local consumer protection laws and failed to warn users about ChatGPT's dangers. The complaints cite multiple lawsuits brought by families of teens and adults linking ChatGPT to deaths, and say OpenAI markets ChatGPT as a "safe, teen-appropriate, safety-first tool" while it endangers vulnerable users by weakening critical thinking, fueling paranoia and delusions, giving dangerous medical advice, and encouraging unhealthy behaviors and relationships. The states also allege OpenAI collects minors' data and has not done enough to stop underage users from using the chatbot, citing recent out-of-control AI hacking incidents as evidence of recklessness. Arizona's complaint says OpenAI has gone from a safety-first public-benefit nonprofit to a cautionary tale. The states seek civil penalties, an order stopping OpenAI from misleading the public about ChatGPT's safety, and in some cases deletion of illegally collected personal data. OpenAI spokesperson Drew Pusateri said the company has built "industry-leading age-specific protections" into ChatGPT, citing parental controls, break reminders and age-appropriate model safeguards, and said it is willing to work with states on practical AI-wide policy.