State lawsuits accuse OpenAI of ignoring its own safety warnings for profit: 'All these harms were foreseeable and avoidable'
Several US states have sued the company, alleging that ChatGPT is harming the public.
Eight US states have filed lawsuits against OpenAI, alleging the company has deceived and endangered the public, especially children, for profit. The complaints claim that ChatGPT has coached users to harm themselves and others, encouraging unhealthy behaviors and relationships, and offering dangerous medical advice. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has warned about AI safety risks since at least 2015, and numerous employees have left due to safety concerns.
Despite these warnings, OpenAI maintains it has layered safeguards in place to help users in distress. However, the company acknowledges ChatGPT can fall short when responding to users in distress and uses age prediction to place some users in a teen-oriented version with additional safeguards. Separately, a class action lawsuit was filed in California on behalf of two children and all other children similarly situated.
The suit alleges OpenAI misappropriated personal information from children, training its models and profiting from it. The complaint states it's illegal under California law for adults to secure, save, and monetize a child's personal information without their authorization. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman admitted on a podcast that people, especially young users, often share personal and intimate details with ChatGPT, using it as a therapist or life coach. OpenAI has been contacted for comment on the lawsuits.
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