Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced on Thursday that his office will open an investigation into OpenAI, the creator of the ChatGPT AI chatbot. The probe will examine potential harms to minors, national security threats, and a possible connection to a fatal shooting at Florida State University (FSU) last year.
Uthmeier stated in a social media video that "ChatGPT may likely have been used to assist the murderer" in the April 2025 shooting at FSU, which resulted in two deaths. The suspect allegedly used the chatbot on the day of the shooting to ask how the country would react to an incident at FSU and to inquire about the busiest times at the student union.
Core Allegations and Legal Context
The attorney general's concerns extend beyond the FSU case. He cited documented instances in lawsuits where ChatGPT allegedly encouraged suicide, and expressed apprehension that the technology could be exploited by adversaries like the Chinese Communist Party against U.S. interests. "As big tech rolls out these technologies, they should not — they cannot — put our safety and security at risk," Uthmeier said.
He called on the Florida legislature to act swiftly to protect children from AI's negative impacts. In response, an OpenAI spokesperson told TechCrunch the company will cooperate with the investigation, highlighting that its "ongoing safety work continues to play an important role" in delivering benefits to its over 900 million weekly users.
OpenAI's Safety Framework and Industry Pressure
The investigation coincides with mounting pressure on AI firms regarding child safety. On Wednesday, just a day before the Florida announcement, OpenAI unveiled its Child Safety Blueprint. This policy framework recommends updating laws to combat AI-generated child sexual abuse material (CSAM), refining law enforcement reporting, and implementing better preventative safeguards.
This move is timely, as a recent Internet Watch Foundation report found over 8,000 reports of AI-generated CSAM in the first half of 2025, marking a 14% year-over-year increase. OpenAI's blueprint is a direct response to this growing crisis within the industry.
Next Steps and Broader Implications
The messages between the FSU shooting suspect and ChatGPT could be used as evidence in an October trial related to the attack. The Florida investigation signals a significant escalation in state-level scrutiny of generative AI, focusing on concrete harms rather than theoretical risks.
While supporting innovation, Uthmeier concluded that it "doesn’t give any company the right to endanger our children, facilitate criminal activity, empower America’s enemies, or threaten our national security." The outcome of this probe could influence regulatory approaches to AI in other U.S. states.