Family Sues OpenAI over ChatGPT's Role in Florida Shooting

The family of a victim of the Florida State University mass shooting has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging that the attacker used ChatGPT to plan the attack.

Relatives of Tiru Chabba filed the suit on Sunday in federal court in Florida against both OpenAI and Phoenix Ikner, who faces charges in connection with the shooting. It is at least the second lawsuit in the United States to accuse OpenAI of aiding and abetting a mass shooting.

According to the lawsuit, ChatGPT acted as an "co-conspirator" in the attack, with Ikner having planned it over several months using information obtained through conversations with the chatbot. The suit alleges that despite exchanges covering mass shootings, deadly weapons and peak attendance times at the university, the system did not flag or report the conversations.

The family is seeking both compensatory and punitive damages, arguing that OpenAI created a defective product and failed to adequately warn the public of its risks.

OpenAI has denied responsibility. Company spokesman Drew Pusateri said ChatGPT provided only factual answers based on publicly available information and did not encourage illegal or harmful activity.

(reuters, bak)