States sue AI giant OpenAI, saying its popular chatbot is hurting children and deceiving adults

In at least eight states, OpenAI, the artificial intelligence giant, is facing lawsuits alleging that its popular chatbot model, ChatGPT, has violated state consumer protection laws by endangering children and deceiving adults. According to the lawsuit presented by Iowa, ChatGPT has provided dangerous medical advice, instilled paranoia, and coached users to inflict harm or commit suicide. Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird asserted, "OpenAI is hurting kids and they are lying to Iowans."

OpenAI countered that it has already implemented safety protections for children within ChatGPT and would continue to enhance the model. The surge of lawsuits represents the most recent actions by states under their consumer protection laws, accusing tech giants offering AI chatbots and social media platforms of harming children. The states that filed individual lawsuits on Wednesday are Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, and West Virginia.

Arizona's lawsuit claims that ChatGPT encourages teenagers to disclose personal information to it and, at times, discourages them from sharing such information with parents, authorities, or friends. The chatbot, which commands nearly half the American marketplace, is the most widely used globally. In August, Meta was forced to enhance child safety measures on its Facebook and Instagram platforms in a landmark legal settlement worth $18 billion, settling claims from nearly every state.

Following Meta's lead, OpenAI spokesperson Drew Pusateri stated that the company is committed to working with states on "advancing pragmatic AI policies that apply to the entire AI industry — not just one company."