‘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 on X, Uthmeier said the probe will examine whether the company’s artificial intelligence systems pose risks related to national security, criminal misuse, and child safety as governments increase scrutiny of generative AI platforms.

“Today, we formally launch an investigation into OpenAI, and subpoenas are forthcoming,” Uthmeier said. “The development and rollout of artificial intelligence is a monumental leap in technology, but it is not without concern for public safety and national security.”

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

Uthmeier said officials are also reviewing whether foreign adversaries could access data gathered by OpenAI.

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

The attorney general also referenced allegations that ChatGPT has appeared in investigations involving harmful or illegal activity.

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

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

Uthmeier urged the Florida Legislature to adopt new protections addressing AI risks.

“I call on the Florida Legislature to work quickly on implementing protections to safeguard our children from the dangers of AI and to further empower my Office of Attorney General to fight these evils,” he said.

The office of the Florida Attorney General did not immediately respond to a request for comment by Decrypt.

The investigation comes as AI chatbots face growing 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 how they respond to dangerous or sensitive prompts. In December, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis proposed an AI “Bill of Rights” aimed at protecting citizens’ privacy and from increased energy costs related to AI data centers.

The office of Governor DeSantis did not immediately respond to a request for comment by Decrypt.

In a statement, OpenAI said it will cooperate with the investigation, adding that each week, more than 900 million people use ChatGPT to “improve their daily lives through uses 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, as well as supporting scientific research and discovery,” the spokesperson told Decrypt. “We build ChatGPT to understand people’s intent and respond in a safe and appropriate way, and we continue improving our technology.”