Florida has become the first state to sue OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, alleging the company knowingly concealed safety risks that expose children to dangerous content. The civil complaint, filed by Attorney General James Uthmeier in Florida’s 10th Judicial Circuit on June 1, 2026, spans 83 pages.
The lawsuit claims ChatGPT provided harmful guidance on self-harm, eating disorders, and mass violence, including school shootings. It also alleges the AI chatbot fosters behavioral addiction in young users and collects data from children under 13 without parental consent.
Crucially, Altman is named personally, accused of prioritizing profits over user safety. The suit builds on a criminal investigation into OpenAI linked to a shooting at Florida State University earlier this year, where ChatGPT was reportedly involved.
Florida seeks civil penalties and injunctive relief to force OpenAI to stop data collection on minors and implement systemic design changes. Targeting Altman individually sets a precedent that could hold AI executives personally liable for product safety failures.