Jonesboro, Ark.—Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging the company misled consumers about the safety of its ChatGPT chatbot and failed to disclose significant risks associated with its use.
“Our complaint outlines numerous violations of Arkansas law, but they all boil down to a simple fact: OpenAI represented to Arkansans that ChatGPT was safe, but they knew ChatGPT had significant risks and limitations. They chose to hide that knowledge from consumers,” said Griffin in a statement.
The complaint highlights concerns about ChatGPT being used to obtain information about self-harm, including suicide. It also details instances where users bypassed the company’s safety measures and generated harmful responses that OpenAI had claimed its safeguards would block. These issues, according to the lawsuit, cast doubt on OpenAI’s representations about the chatbot’s safety.
“OpenAI assures us that ChatGPT is safe. The consequences of that assurance are lives lost and people harmed,” Griffin added.
The lawsuit outlines three categories of claims, asserting that OpenAI violated Arkansas law and deceived users, including minors, by making assurances about the chatbot’s safety while allegedly being aware of its vulnerabilities. The state is seeking unspecified relief through the suit.
Griffin’s action is part of a broader wave of legal challenges to OpenAI, with similar lawsuits filed by the attorneys general of Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, West Virginia, Arizona, Idaho, Montana, and Utah.
No further details were revealed about ongoing legal proceedings. Updates will be provided as developments occur.