State attorneys general open investigation into OpenAI, company says
Several state attorneys general have opened an investigation into OpenAI, the creator of the artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT. (Photo from Shutterstock)
Several state attorneys general have opened an investigation into OpenAI, the creator of the artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT.
The company said Saturday it was subpoenaed the previous day and asked to provide internal documents on its handling of user data, safety of minors and advertising activities, among other practices, according to a story by the New York Times.
“We take the concerns raised by state attorneys general seriously and intend to engage constructively with their offices,” OpenAI said in a statement published by the New York Times, which also reports that New York and Colorado are among the states leading the investigation.
States have increasingly scrutinized AI and introduced dozens of bills to regulate the technology, the New York Times reports. More than 100 state laws now ban the use of chatbots by children and young adults.
Florida recently became the first state to sue OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman, alleging that the company marketed ChatGPT to children while concealing serious risks related to its use.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said in early June his office filed the “first-in-the-nation state-led lawsuit” against OpenAI and its top leader because they prioritized commercial benefits over user safety and disregarded internal and external safety warnings from experts.
Among other allegations, Uthmeier said ChatGPT facilitates and encourages self-harm and violence.
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