Florida opens criminal investigation against OpenAI for ChatGPT’s role in university shooting

By The Opinion

Apr 22, 2026, 02:22 AM EDT

The state of Florida began a criminal investigation against the intelligence company man made OpenAI, after its possible link with a shooting that occurred in the Florida State University (FSU) in 2025, where two people died and seven others were injured.

The announcement was made in Tampa by the fashionable state attorney, James Uthmeierwho pointed out that it is analyzed whether the system ChatGPT would have had a relevant role in the attacker’s behavior.

According to the prosecutor, the analysis of the history of conversations between the suspect and ChatGPT suggests that the system may have offered information related to the attackas types of weapons, ammunition, times with greater concentration of people and possible areas of the campus with a greater presence of students.

Uthmeier stated that the system would have provided “meaningful advice” before the attack, and maintained that if it was a person, he could face murder charges. However, he clarified that The investigation seeks to determine if there is corporate criminal liability.

An OpenAI spokesperson denied any responsibility for the incident and assured that ChatGPT did not promote or facilitate illegal activities.

The company reported that, after learning about the case, it identified an account linked to the suspect and voluntarily provided information to the authorities. He also noted that the system offered responses based on public information available in data superhighway and reiterated that it is working on security improvements to detect misuse.

As part of the investigation, Florida authorities requested OpenAI internal documentation on usage policies, security protocols against threats and cooperation mechanisms with authorities, in addition to information on its management structure.

Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Note Glass warned of the risks associated with the use of manmade intelligence and its potential impact on public safety.

The case joins a series of legal actions in the state related to man made intelligence. In recent months, Florida has promoted legal proceedings linked to the use of AI systems in different contexts, including cases related to artificially generated content and alleged influence on harmful behavior.

Prosecutor Uthmeier also recalled that The state legislature passed a law that toughens penalties for sexual crimes against minorsincluding the creation of child abuse topic arena generated by man made intelligence.

In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis promotes a proposal known as “Synthetic Intelligence Bill of Rights”, which seeks to establish safeguards for users, data protection and limits on the use of technology.

The project was approved in the Senate state, but did not advance in the House of Representatives.