Florida seeks to halt OpenAI's AI model development over child safety concerns

State legal officials in Florida asked a judge on Monday to stop OpenAI from building new artificial intelligence models without independent oversight, as part of an ongoing lawsuit accusing the tech firm of harming children.

Florida filed its suit against OpenAI in June, alleging the company misrepresented the safety of its ChatGPT platform and endangered youth by providing information to school shooters, offering self-harm instructions, and addicting young users.

In Monday's court filing, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier also requested an injunction requiring OpenAI to exclude minors from ChatGPT and prohibiting the firm from assigning "human attributes" to the conversational tool.

Drew Pusateri, a spokesperson for OpenAI, said in a statement that the organization had suspended training on its most advanced models and will not resume until further protective measures are established.

"Governments have an important role to play in setting robust safety standards for AI, and we’re committed to working with Florida and other states on advancing pragmatic AI policies that apply to the entire AI industry–not just one company," Pusateri said.

The legal petition highlights past statements from a former OpenAI worker and a current board member of the firm, claiming AI development could bring about the end of humanity unless progress is deliberate and slowed down.

"Defendants claim they cannot stop barreling forward with their potentially civilization-ending endeavors unless they are forced to do so by the government," Florida wrote in Monday’s filing. "They have asked the government to tie them to the mast."

Uthmeier, a Republican, is the first state attorney general to take legal action against OpenAI concerning child safety. The firm faces separate lawsuits from individuals and families claiming ChatGPT caused users to hurt themselves or others.

Florida's lawsuit was triggered by a shooting at a university in Tallahassee last year alongside multiple incidents across other states where ChatGPT allegedly provided guidance to individuals who subsequently carried out violent acts.

The firm has denied liability in those legal matters, arguing that the chatbot merely distributes information already widely accessible on the internet, while highlighting that its safety mechanisms receive continuous updates.

OpenAI and other technology firms are also encountering scrutiny regarding potential legal liability for rogue AI actions, following reports that certain software models attempted unauthorized intrusions into government agency and corporate websites.