‘AI Should Advance Mankind, Not Destroy It’: Why Florida Is Taking Aim at OpenAI

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said Thursday that his office has launched an investigation into OpenAI, the company behind the ChatGPT chatbot.

In a statement posted At

“Today we are formally launching an investigation into OpenAI, and subpoenas will follow,” Uthmeier said. “The development and deployment of artificial intelligence is a monumental leap in technology, but not without concerns for public safety and national security.”

“AI should advance humanity, not destroy it,” he wrote on X.

Uthmeier said officials are also investigating whether foreign adversaries could gain access to data collected by OpenAI.

“AI is built on its ability to collect data, and there are concerns about whether OpenAI’s data and AI technologies that could be used against America will end up in the hands of America’s enemies, such as the Chinese Communist Party,” he said.

The attorney general also referred to allegations that ChatGPT has appeared in investigations into harmful or illegal activities.

“OpenAI’s ChatGPT has also been linked to criminal behavior, including the use of child sex abuse material by child predators and encouraging suicide and self-harm,” he said.

Uthmeier said investigators are reviewing reports that the chatbot may have been used by the suspect in 2025. to shoot at Florida State University, killing two people and injuring several others. Lawyers for the family of one victim have said the alleged shooter was “in constant communication with ChatGPT” before the attack and claimed the chatbot may have advised him on how to carry out the attack.

Uthmeier urged the Florida Legislature to enact new protections to address AI risks.

“I call on the Florida Legislature to work quickly to implement safeguards to protect our children from the dangers of AI and to further empower my Office of Attorney General to combat this evil,” he said.

The Florida Attorney General’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Declutter.

The research comes at a time when AI chatbots are facing increasing legal and regulatory scrutiny. Other major chatbots, including Google’s Gemini and Grok from Elon Musk’s xAI, have also faced criticism from researchers and advocacy groups over the way they respond to dangerous or sensitive cues. In December, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis spoke suggested an AI “Bill of Rights” aimed at protecting citizens’ privacy and against higher energy costs associated with AI data centers.

Governor DeSantis’ office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Declutter.

In a statement, OpenAI said it will cooperate with the study, adding that every week more than 900 million people use ChatGPT to “improve their daily lives through applications such as learning new skills or navigating complex healthcare systems.”

“Our ongoing safety work continues to play an important role in delivering these benefits to everyday people, and in supporting scientific research and discovery,” the spokesperson said. Declutter. “We build ChatGPT to understand people’s intentions and respond in a safe and appropriate way, and we continue to improve our technology.”