OpenAI to face criminal investigation: Here's why Florida's attorney general has issued subpoenas to AI firm
Florida’s attorney general said his office was issuing subpoenas to OpenAI, seeking information on how the company handled threats of harm to itself or others, NBC reported.
Florida’s attorney general on Tuesday (local time) said that his office is issuing subpoenas to OpenAI, seeking information on how the company handles user threats of harm to itself or others, NBC reported.
James Uthmeier, Florida's attorney general, in a press conference, noted that the subpoenas are part of a new criminal probe against the company and the actions mark an escalation from his previously announced probe of the Sam Altman-led artificial intelligence (AI) company. According to Uthmeier, the probe will continue as a civil investigation alongside the newly announced criminal investigation.
Uthmeier announced launch of probe against OpenAI
Earlier this month, the Florida attorney general announced to launch an investigation into OpenAI and its ChatGPT tool, citing national security and safety concerns.
Apart from other concerns, Uthmeier is also probing whether OpenAI's chat tool provided any assistance in terms of planning to the alleged gunman who carried out the mass shooting at Florida State University. The incident occurred in April last year and left two dead.
ChatGPT helped shooter who killed two at FSU, says Uthmeier
In a press conference, he said, "We have been looking into the recent FSU shooting, and that shooter’s communications with ChatGPT," and added, "Our review of that communication has revealed that a criminal investigation is necessary."
Florida's attorney general went on to say that OpenAI's chat tool allegedly offered significant advice to the shooter before he committed such "heinous crimes", and added, 'the chatbot advised the shooter on what type of gun to use, on which ammo went with which gun, on whether or not a gun would be useful in short range.”
He elaborated that if this were a person on the other end of the screen, they would have been charged with murder, and that there cannot be an AI bot that assists people on how to kill others.
Florida attorney general's office issues subpoenas
The attorney general added that his office is now issuing subpoenas and seeking information regarding the AI company's policies and internal training materials related to user threats of harm to themselves and others from March 2024 to April 2026. The subpoenas will also seek information from the same time frame on all policies and internal training materials as to how the company cooperates with and reports crime to law enforcement agencies.
Additionally, the subpoenas will also seek the leading AI company's organisational chart of its leaders and senior managers, along with a list of all employees working on ChatGPT.
ChatGPT built to understand people's intent: OpenAI spokesperson
Earlier in April, an OpenAI spokesperson told NBC, "We build ChatGPT to understand people’s intent and respond in a safe and appropriate way, and we continue improving our technology.”
The company said that its ongoing safety work continues to play a crucial role in delivering these benefits to everyday people, along with supporting scientific research and discovery. It also noted that over 900 million people use ChatGPT each week.
FSU shooting
Twenty-one-year-old Phoenix Ikner, who is the suspect in the FSU shooting, is facing multiple charges related to last year's incident. Citing court documents, NBC reported that minutes before carrying out the shooting, Ikner exchanged messages with OpenAI's chat tool, asking questions like "What time is it the busiest in the FSU student union?” and “If there was a shooting at FSU, how would the country react?”
Earlier in April, attorneys representing the family of one of the victims indicated that they were now preparing to level charges against OpenAI, after it was revealed that the shooter exchanged messages with ChatGPT. The attorney went on to say that the AI platform may have advised the shooter on how to commit these crimes.
About the Author
Swati Gandhi is a digital journalist with over four years of experience, specialising in international and geopolitical issues. Her work focuses on foreign policy, global power shifts, and the political and economic forces shaping international relations, with a particular emphasis on how global developments affect India. She approaches journalism with a strong belief in context-driven reporting, aiming to break down complex global events into clear, accessible narratives for a wide readership.<br><br> Previously, Swati has worked at Business Standard, where she covered a range of beats including national affairs, politics, and business. This diverse newsroom experience helped her build a strong grounding in reporting, while also strengthening her ability to work across both breaking news and in-depth explanatory stories. Covering multiple beats early in her career has helped her be informed about her current work, allowing her to connect domestic developments with wider international trends.<br><br> At Live Mint, she focuses on international and geopolitical issues through a business and economic lens, examining how global political developments, foreign policy decisions, and power shifts impact markets, industries, and India’s strategic and economic interests.<br><br> She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English (Honours) from the University of Delhi and a Master’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University. Her academic training has shaped her emphasis on precision, analytical rigour, and clarity in writing. Her interests include global political economy and the intersection of geopolitics with business.<br><br> Outside work, Swati focuses on exploring her passion and love for food. From fancy cafes to street spots, Swati explores food like a true foodie.
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