Florida Launches Criminal Investigation Into ChatGPT Over School Shooting

Source: Slashdot

Investigation Overview

Florida’s attorney general has launched a criminal investigation into OpenAI over allegations that the accused gunman in a shooting at Florida State University last year used ChatGPT to help plan the attack. OpenAI says the chatbot is “not responsible for this terrible crime” and only provided factual information available from public sources.

NPR reports that Republican Attorney General James Uthmeier said at a press conference in Tampa that the accused gunman Phoenix Ikner consulted ChatGPT for advice before the shooting, including:

• What type of gun to use
• What ammunition to pair with it
• What time to go to campus to encounter more people

Uthmeier stated, “My prosecutors have looked at this and they’ve told me, if it was a person on the other end of that screen, we would be charging them with murder. We cannot have AI bots that are advising people on how to kill others.”

Subpoenas and Legal Actions

Uthmeier’s office is issuing subpoenas to OpenAI seeking information about:

• Policies and internal training materials related to user threats of harm
• How OpenAI cooperates with and reports crimes to law enforcement, dating back to March 2024

At the press conference, Uthmeier acknowledged that the investigation is entering uncharted territory and expressed uncertainty about whether OpenAI could face criminal liability. He said, “We are going to look at who knew what, designed what, or should have done what. And if it is clear that individuals knew that this type of dangerous behavior might take place, that these types of unfortunate, tragic events might take place, and nevertheless still turned to profit, still allowed this business to operate, then people need to be held accountable.”

Charges Against Phoenix Ikner

• Age: 21
• Charges: Multiple counts of murder and attempted murder for the April 2025 shooting near the student union on FSU’s Tallahassee campus (Ikner was a student at the time)
• Trial date: Set to begin on Oct. 19
• Evidence: More than 200 AI messages have been entered into evidence, according to court filings.