'AI Ought to Advance Mankind, Not Destroy It': Why Florida Is Taking Purpose at OpenAI – Decrypt

Florida Lawyer Common James Uthmeier mentioned Thursday that his workplace has launched an investigation into OpenAI, the corporate behind the ChatGPT chatbot.

In an announcement posted on X, Uthmeier mentioned the probe will look at whether or not the corporate’s synthetic intelligence techniques pose dangers associated to nationwide safety, legal misuse, and little one security as governments improve scrutiny of generative AI platforms.

“At present, we formally launch an investigation into OpenAI, and subpoenas are forthcoming,” Uthmeier mentioned. “The event and rollout of synthetic intelligence is a monumental leap in know-how, however it’s not with out concern for public security and nationwide safety.”

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

Uthmeier mentioned officers are additionally reviewing whether or not overseas adversaries may entry knowledge gathered by OpenAI.

“AI is constructed on its means to assemble knowledge, and there are issues about whether or not OpenAI’s knowledge and AI applied sciences that might be used in opposition to America are falling into the fingers of America’s enemies, such because the Chinese language Communist Get together,” he mentioned.

The lawyer common additionally referenced allegations that ChatGPT has appeared in investigations involving dangerous or criminality.

“OpenAI’s ChatGPT has additionally been linked to legal habits, together with little one intercourse abuse materials use by little one predators and the encouragement of suicide and self-harm,” he mentioned.

Uthmeier mentioned investigators are reviewing experiences that the chatbot might have been utilized by the suspect in a 2025 capturing at Florida State College that killed two folks and injured a number of others. Attorneys for the household of 1 sufferer have mentioned the alleged gunman was in “fixed communication with ChatGPT” earlier than the assault, and alleged that the chatbot might have suggested him on tips on how to perform the assault.

Uthmeier urged the Florida Legislature to undertake new protections addressing AI dangers.

“I name on the Florida Legislature to work rapidly on implementing protections to safeguard our youngsters from the risks of AI and to additional empower my Workplace of Lawyer Common to combat these evils,” he mentioned.

The workplace of the Florida Lawyer Common didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark by Decrypt.

The investigation comes as AI chatbots face rising authorized and regulatory scrutiny. Different main chatbots, together with Google’s Gemini and Grok from Elon Musk’s xAI, have additionally confronted criticism from researchers and advocacy teams over how they reply to harmful or delicate prompts. In December, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis proposed an AI “Invoice of Rights” aimed toward defending residents’ privateness and from elevated power prices associated to AI knowledge facilities.

The workplace of Governor DeSantis didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark by Decrypt.

In an announcement, OpenAI mentioned it can cooperate with the investigation, including that every week, greater than 900 million folks use ChatGPT to “enhance their every day lives by makes use of equivalent to studying new abilities or navigating advanced healthcare techniques.”

“Our ongoing security work continues to play an vital function in delivering these advantages to on a regular basis folks, in addition to supporting scientific analysis and discovery,” the spokesperson informed Decrypt. “We construct ChatGPT to grasp folks’s intent and reply in a protected and applicable method, and we proceed enhancing our know-how.”