STORY: Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said on Tuesday the state was launching a criminal investigation into OpenAI and its AI app ChatGPT over a deadly shooting last year that killed two people at Florida State University.
"We have been looking into the recent FSU shooting and that shooter's communications with ChatGPT. Now that communication and our review of that communication has revealed that a criminal investigation is necessary."
A gunman killed two people and wounded six others at Florida State University in April last year before he was shot by officers and hospitalized.
The suspect was charged with multiple counts of murder and attempted murder.
"The communication between the shooter and ChatGPT revealed that the chat bot 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. ChatGPT advised the shooter on what time of day would be appropriate for the shooting to interact with more people and where on campus would be the place to encounter a higher population."
Uthmeier's office said the investigation will determine whether OpenAI bears criminal responsibility as a corporation.
"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."
An OpenAI spokeswoman told U.S. media that the shooting was a tragedy but the company had no responsibility, adding that the chatbot (quote) "provided factual responses" and "did not encourage or promote illegal or harmful activity."
She said that after learning of the incident, OpenAI identified a ChatGPT account believed to be associated with the suspect and "proactively shared this information with law enforcement."
