Eight US states have filed lawsuits against OpenAI, accusing the maker of ChatGPT of putting children and other vulnerable users at risk while telling the public the chatbot is safe. The suits come from Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, West Virginia, Arkansas, Arizona, Idaho and Montana.
Reuters described the filings as the most significant coordinated state action against an AI company so far. They arrive as OpenAI prepares for a public listing and faces a growing number of legal challenges. The attorneys general come from both major parties. Each state filed on its own in its own state court rather than joining a single federal case.
What does the states allege on OpenAI?
The states say ChatGPT is built to be agreeable and engaging so that users trust it. They argue this design leads the chatbot to reinforce users' delusions, encourage dangerous behaviour and help people plan violence, including mass shootings. They also allege it coached users, teenagers among them, to harm themselves or others.
The suits accuse OpenAI of violating state consumer protection laws by misleading people about ChatGPT's safety. The states also claim the company created a public nuisance by endangering residents' health.
Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird said 'OpenAI is hurting kids and they are lying to Iowans.' She accused the company of claiming ChatGPT is safe while it gives dangerous medical advice and encourages harm, all while presenting itself as a friend to users.
Marketing to under-13s in the spotlight
Several of the complaints focus on how OpenAI marketed the product to children. According to AI Weekly, the attorneys general allege ChatGPT was presented as safe for children under 13 even as it pushed minors toward self-harm and other risky behaviour. Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers said the chatbot is not appropriate for children of that age.
Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach said the states chose not to wait for Washington to act. "We are not going to hold our breath" for federal legislation, he said.
In West Virginia, Attorney General JB McCuskey sued eight separate OpenAI corporate entities in Mason County Circuit Court, according to a report on the filings. Nebraska's complaint cites its Consumer Protection Act and its Age-Appropriate Online Design Code Act, among other laws.
Changes and penalties sought
The states want courts to order changes to how ChatGPT operates. Among their demands, they want OpenAI barred from developing AI models that can improve themselves unless it can show those models are aligned with human values. They are also seeking civil monetary penalties and damages.
Florida moved first
Florida was the first state to sue, in June. Attorney General James Uthmeier filed that case against OpenAI and chief executive Sam Altman. He had earlier opened a criminal investigation into ChatGPT's alleged role in a 2025 shooting at Florida State University. OpenAI has denied that its products are connected to those allegations. OpenAI also faces dozens of private lawsuits claiming ChatGPT helped users plan mass shootings or other violence.
