ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE · SUMMARY
ChatGPT: US states sue OpenAI over minors’ safety
US states are suing OpenAI over alleged failures to protect consumers and minors. The company responds by highlighting its age-appropriate protections. The demands include civil penalties and, in some cases, data deletion.
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OpenAI faces separate lawsuits brought by Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, West Virginia, Arkansas, Arizona, Idaho and Montana, The Verge reports, also citing Reuters. These states accuse the company of misleading consumers about ChatGPT’s safety and prioritizing its financial interests at the expense of protecting users. These are allegations brought before the courts, rather than established judicial findings.
The complaints invoke local consumer protection laws. In particular, they accuse OpenAI of failing to provide sufficient warnings about the service’s risks, collecting minors’ data and failing to prevent access effectively enough by users who are too young. They also draw on lawsuits brought by families who attribute a role in their loved ones’ deaths to the chatbot.
In its response to The Verge, OpenAI highlights age-appropriate protections, parental controls and reminders to take a break. The company says it continues to develop safeguards with experts.
The states are seeking civil penalties and an end to communications they consider misleading. Some also seek the deletion of personal data they say was collected illegally. The dispute thus concerns product safety, as well as commitments presented to the public and data management.