By Julian Castillo
OpenAI and ChatGPT are in the crosshairs of the Florida Fiscal Standard and the scandal just broke out with everything. The former Attorney General of Florida, James Uthmeier, officially announced the opening of an investigation against OpenAI and its most famous chatbot.
ChatGPT and the shooting at Florida Impart College
The trigger for this investigation has to do with one of the most tragic episodes of last year. In April 2025, a shooter opened fire on the Florida Impart College campus, killing two people and wounding five others.. A devastating story that, months later, would take a disturbing technological turn.
Last week, lawyers for one of the victims revealed that ChatGPT would have been used to plan the attack. The family of one of the deceased has already announced that they plan to sue OpenAI directly. That was enough for Prosecutor Uthmeier to set the ethical machinery in motion.
Beyond the shooting: children, suicides and national security
Although the shooting was the immediate catalyst, the investigation goes much deeper. Prosecutor Uthmeier racked up a list of charges that call into question the security of ChatGPT on multiple fronts.
First, there is harm to minors. The prosecutor noted that OpenAI’s technology has been linked to the risk of child sexual abuse and encouraging suicide and self-harm. This is not the first time this has come to light: in September 2025, the Attorneys General of California and Delaware had already expressed similar concerns, after the parents of a teenager sued OpenAI, holding it responsible for their son’s suicide.
Second, there is a dimension of national security that makes your hair stand on end. Uthmeier publicly questioned whether OpenAI’s data and technologies could be falling “into the hands of America’s enemies, like the Chinese Communist Party.”
OpenAI responds and the IPO context complicates everything
A company spokesperson said that will cooperate with Uthmeier’s investigation and defended the positive impact of their product. From OpenAI they assured that every week, more than 900 million people use ChatGPT to improve their daily lives. The company also highlighted that they build ChatGPT to “understand people’s intent and respond safely and appropriately.”
But here is a detail that makes everything more complicated: OpenAI is in full preparation to go public with a valuation that could reach $1 trillion. An investigation of this caliber comes at the worst possible time for the company’s financial plans.
And if that weren’t enough, OpenAI is also dealing with its own legal fronts: the company recently asked the attorneys general of California and Delaware to investigate Elon Musk for alleged anti-competitive behavior.
The question that remains in the air is enormous: Can an artificial intelligence tool be legally responsible for the crime someone commits with its help? The answer could forever change the rules of the game in Silicon Valley. For now, OpenAI has a lot to answer for — and Florida is waiting.
Keep reading:
• OpenAI in Iran’s sights: the Stargate data center in Abu Dhabi could be attacked
• OpenAI launches $100 per month plan: is it worth paying for?
• OpenAI closes Sora and says goodbye to AI video generation
