Florida Attorney General opens investigation into OpenAI after shooting

In short: Florida’s attorney general says he will investigate OpenAI after claims that ChatGPT was used to help plan a deadly shooting at Florida State University.

What happened

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said his office plans to investigate OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT. The announcement follows a deadly shooting at Florida State University (FSU) in April 2025 that killed two people and injured five.

Last week, lawyers for one of the victims said the shooter used ChatGPT to plan the attack, according to reports cited by TechCrunch. The victim’s family has also said they plan to sue OpenAI over the incident.

Uthmeier posted a statement on X saying, “AI should advance mankind, not destroy it,” and that his office is “demanding answers” about OpenAI’s activities. He also said subpoenas are “forthcoming.” A subpoena is a legal order that forces a person or company to hand over information, like getting an official letter that says you must provide records.

OpenAI told TechCrunch it will cooperate with the investigation. The company said more than 900 million people use ChatGPT each week and that it is continuing safety work so the tool responds “in a safe and appropriate way.”

Why it matters

This investigation adds pressure on companies that make chatbots, which are tools that talk with you in plain language, like a very fast text conversation. If a state investigation finds problems with how these tools handle harmful requests, it could lead to new rules, lawsuits, or changes to how these products work for everyone.

Source: TechCrunch AI