Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier is asking a state court to impose new restrictions on OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT.
The request, filed on September 28, is part of a lawsuit Florida brought against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman in June. The state alleges that ChatGPT was marketed as safe while important risks, particularly those involving children, were not adequately disclosed. OpenAI disputes the allegations.
What Florida is asking for Florida is seeking a temporary court order that would restrict OpenAI from developing new artificial intelligence models without additional independent safety oversight. The state is also asking the court to restrict minors in Florida from using ChatGPT and to limit features that make the chatbot appear more human, such as certain forms of emotional or first-person interaction.
The lawsuit places particular emphasis on child safety. Florida's Attorney General says OpenAI exposed young users to risks while presenting its technology as safe. Those claims are allegations in an ongoing legal case and have not been established by a court.
What OpenAI says OpenAI says it takes safety concerns seriously. The company told Reuters that it had paused training of its most advanced models while additional safeguards were being developed. OpenAI has also argued that governments should create safety standards for the AI industry as a whole rather than impose rules on only one company.
What happens next The restrictions requested by Florida are not currently in effect. The Attorney General is asking the court for a temporary injunction. A judge will decide whether to grant, reject or narrow the requested restrictions. For Florida residents, the case could eventually affect how AI services such as ChatGPT are offered to children and teenagers in the state.
It also raises a larger question that governments around the country are beginning to confront: how quickly should artificial intelligence be allowed to advance, and what safety rules should apply as the technology becomes more powerful? Sources: Reuters; Office of the Florida Attorney General.
