State of Florida v OpenAI Inc
State of Florida v. OpenAI Inc. is a 2026 civil enforcement action filed by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman over alleged ChatGPT safety representations and user harms.[1] NBC News reported that Florida is the first state to sue OpenAI and Altman over design and safety, and that the civil action is separate from a criminal investigation Uthmeier opened in late April 2026.[1]
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Case name | State of Florida v. OpenAI Inc.[1] |
| Plaintiff | State of Florida / Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier.[1] |
| Defendants | OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman.[1] |
| Filing date | June 1, 2026.[1] |
| Claims reported | Deceptive and unfair trade practices, negligence, product-liability violations, fraudulent misrepresentation, and public nuisance.[1] |
| Status | Newly filed civil enforcement action; criminal investigation remains ongoing according to NBC News.[1] |
Allegations
editThe complaint alleges that OpenAI misrepresented ChatGPT's safety while pursuing market value and growth.[1] NBC News reported that the lawsuit claims OpenAI's systems present risks of addiction, cognitive decline, suicide, violence, and related harms to users.[1] The complaint seeks penalties and a court order and asks to hold Altman personally liable for alleged harm to Floridians.[1]
Procedural Status
editNBC News reported that the lawsuit was filed on June 1, 2026 and that OpenAI did not immediately respond to its request for comment.[1] NBC News also reported that OpenAI has said it designs its systems with safety safeguards and continues improving ChatGPT's ability to recognize and respond to emotional-distress signals.[1]
Significance
editThe case is significant for AI law because it frames chatbot-safety allegations through state consumer-protection, negligence, product-liability, fraudulent-misrepresentation, and public-nuisance theories.[1] The case also adds a civil enforcement action to Florida's earlier criminal investigation into OpenAI.[1]