Florida launches investigation into OpenAI

The Verge / 4/10/2026

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Key Points

  • Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has launched an investigation into OpenAI, citing concerns about public safety and national security risks.
  • Uthmeier alleges OpenAI’s data and technology could be ending up with adversaries, including the Chinese Communist Party.
  • The statement points to ChatGPT being “linked to” criminal behavior involving child sexual abuse material and content related to self-harm encouragement.
  • The investigation also raises concerns that ChatGPT may have been used to help the suspect in a Florida State University shooting reported in April 2025.
  • The probe signals increasing government scrutiny of LLMs’ downstream misuse and potential cross-border risk channels.
Vector illustration of the Open AI logo.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier is launching an investigation into OpenAI over public safety and national security risks, as reported earlier by Reuters. In a statement on Thursday, Uthmeier says there are concerns that OpenAI's data and technology are "falling into the hands of America's enemies, such as the Chinese Communist Party."

Uthmeier also says that OpenAI's ChatGPT has been "linked to criminal behavior" related to child sexual abuse material and the "encouragement" of self-harm. He adds that ChatGPT may have been used to "assist" the person suspected of carrying out a shooting at Florida State University in April 2025. Thi …

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