"Today, we announced the first-in-the-nation state-led lawsuit against OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman," Uthmeier said. "OpenAI and Altman ignored internal and external safety warnings, put children at significant risk, and allowed a dangerous product to reach millions of Floridians."

Commenting on the case, Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Special Agent in Charge Mike Duffey said the rise of artificial intelligence has transformed the digital environment in which children interact.

"Today's AI companies have largely assisted with the evolution of the digital playground. Protecting our children means teaching them to navigate not just the real people behind the screens, but the artificial minds engineered to mimic them," Duffey said. "Parental vigilance must shift from simply monitoring who our children talk to, to ensuring they understand what they are talking to—because a machine programmed to please can never replace the safety of human boundaries."

According to the civil complaint, OpenAI and Altman prioritized rapid deployment and commercial growth over user safety, disregarding repeated warnings from experts both within and outside the company. The lawsuit alleges that ChatGPT can facilitate harmful behaviour, including self-harm and violence, while the company continued to assure users that the product was safe.

The complaint further alleges that ChatGPT collects data from minors without meaningful parental oversight, contributes to behavioural addiction and cognitive harm, and is susceptible to dangerous inaccuracies that OpenAI allegedly downplayed.

Florida law prohibits unfair and deceptive trade practices. State officials contend that OpenAI's conduct has caused ongoing harm to Florida residents and are seeking damages on behalf of the state's citizens, as well as an end to what the complaint describes as deceptive and dangerous business practices.

The legal action follows a criminal investigation launched last month by the Office of Statewide Prosecution after prosecutors reviewed chat logs involving ChatGPT and Phoenix Ikner, the gunman responsible for the April 17, 2025, shooting at Florida State University that left two people dead and several others injured.

The criminal investigation remains ongoing.