April 21 (UPI) -- On Tuesday, Florida's attorney general said the state has opened a criminal investigation into ChatGPT and its parent company, OpenAI, after a review of chats between the app and a gunman who opened fire at Florida State University last year, killing two people and injuring six.
"If ChatGPT were a person, it would be facing charges for murder," Attorney General James Uthmeier said in a press release. "This criminal investigation will determine whether OpenAI bears criminal responsibility for ChatGPT's actions in the shooting at Florida State University last year."
Uthmeier said state prosecutors determined the app offered "significant advice" to the FSU shooter, Phoenix Ikner, Politico reported, saying that Ikner allegedly asked for detailed information about guns, ammo, possible public reaction and where to find the most students. Ikner is awaiting trial on multiple charges of murder and attempted murder.
This escalation comes a few weeks after Florida initially announced its investigation plans. Uthmeier also cited AI's possible role in child sex abuse materials and encouraging self-harm.
The Florida attorney general's office has subpoenaed many records from OpenAI, including policies and internal training materials regarding cooperation with law enforcement, user threats of harm to others and user threats of harm to self, as well as lists of employees and an organizational chart.
