Attorney General James Uthmeier is investigating OpenAI, a leading artificial intelligence firm, over suspected harms its products cause to minors.
“AI should exist to supplement support and advance mankind, not lead to an existential crisis or our ultimate demise,” Uthmeier stated Thursday in a video posted to X announcing the investigation.
Uthmeier pointed to alleged connections between OpenAI’s product, ChatGPT, and cases of self-harm and suicide by minors. He also noted ChatGPT may have been used to assist Phoenix Ikner, the alleged shooter in the April 17, 2025 mass shooting at Florida State University that left two dead and five wounded.
Today, we launched an investigation into OpenAI and ChatGPT.
— Attorney General James Uthmeier (@AGJamesUthmeier) April 9, 2026
AI should advance mankind, not destroy it. We’re demanding answers on OpenAI’s activities that have hurt kids, endangered Americans, and facilitated the recent FSU mass shooting.
Wrongdoers must be held accountable. pic.twitter.com/vRVCqIYKnB
Moreover, OpenAI’s data could be used by China’s communist government to harm the U.S., Uthmeier stated.
“As Big Tech rolls out these technologies they should not - they cannot - put our safety and security at risk. 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,” Uthmeier said. “Companies that do so will be held accountable to the fullest extent.”
The scope of the probe isn’t known but Uthmeier said subpoenas would be “forthcoming.”
The news comes one day after OpenAI released a framework to prevent abuses of AI, such as updating state laws to ban “child sexual abuse material” not just “child pornography,” and banning AI machines from producing banned or harmful material even if a user requests it.
ALSO READ: Gov. DeSantis heightens push for AI rules as bill falters
A news release posted on OpenAI’s website Wednesday stated the company worked with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the Attorney General Alliance’s AI Taskforce on the framework.
Florida lawmakers passed a bill (HB 245) earlier this year changing the phrase “child pornography” in state law to “child sexual abuse material” to capture abuse material produced by AI and close a loophole in the law. Gov. Ron DeSantis signed it into law April 1.
But the Legislature failed to pass another measure backed by DeSantis to enact an “AI Bill of Rights” to protect consumers and impose regulations on AI companies.
The measure moved forward in the Senate but didn’t advance in the House, with House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, deferring to Congress and the federal government to craft AI laws, in line with President Donald Trump’s preference not to have state laws conflict with federal policy.
Uthmeier urged lawmakers to rethink that position and pass greater AI protections.
“I call on the Florida Legislature to work quickly on implementing protections to safeguard our children from the dangers of AI and to further empower my office of Attorney General to fight these evils,” Uthmeier said.
