US State Prosecutors Launch Investigation into OpenAI

A coalition of US state attorneys general has launched a wide-ranging investigation into OpenAI, a source familiar with the matter said. The Wall Street Journal first reported the investigation on Friday.

The maker of ChatGPT was served with a subpoena on Friday to produce documents relating to a broad range of its activities and their impact on users, including advertising, user engagement and retention as well as the handling of consumer and health data, the source said.

The subpoena, issued by the New York State attorney general, also seeks information on activities related to minors and seniors, deep learning models and internal company policies, the source added.

The investigation represents the latest legal challenge for OpenAI, which is moving toward an initial public offering (IPO) and is being sued by Florida for allegedly misrepresenting the security of the ChatGPT platform.

An OpenAI spokesperson said: "AI is a new and powerful technology, and we work every day to safely bring its benefits to people in a responsible way. We take the concerns raised by state attorneys general seriously and intend to engage constructively with their offices."

Florida's lawsuit, the first by a US state, alleges that the platform harmed children by providing information to school shooters, offering advice on self-harm and creating addiction in young users.

A Canadian mother also sued OpenAI and its chief executive officer Sam Altman in US court on Thursday, alleging that ChatGPT encouraged her daughter to kill herself.

(reuters, luc)