Florida becomes first state to sue OpenAI

 Florida becomes first state to sue OpenAI

Morning Brew Inc

Florida Man is taking on Sam Altman. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier filed an 83-page lawsuit against OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, yesterday, accusing the company of releasing ChatGPT despite knowing its safety flaws. How is this case different from others? OpenAI is wrapped up in so much litigation, its in-house legal department is running out of timecards. The company has been at the center of high-profile copyright and privacy litigation, and is also being sued by seven people claiming that ChatGPT drove individuals to suicide and other delusions. But Florida is the first state to sue the company: Florida’s suit alleges that OpenAI’s “insatiable quest to win the AI arms race” and drive to make money overshadowed red flags about the technology. The suit also says OpenAI puts users, especially children, at a risk of “addiction, cognitive decline, violence, and related harms.” It also aims to hold Altman personally liable for harm. In the civil suit, Uthmeier references a criminal investigation he opened earlier this year against the company for its alleged role in helping an individual plan a mass shooting at Florida State University. It remains ongoing. OpenAI and Altman haven’t responded directly to the new lawsuit, but the company has previously denied similar claims and has said it’s working on bettering safety protocols within ChatGPT. Big picture: Uthmeier and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, both Republicans, have broken with President Trump’s policy of deregulating AI. Public backlash against the tech has intensified—and even the Pope called on lawmakers to regulate it