Eight US states sue OpenAI, alleging ChatGPT harms children
Florida's first-of-its-kind case against OpenAI and Sam Altman has grown into a multistate legal fight over how chatbots treat minors
Eight US states are now suing OpenAI, alleging that ChatGPT harms children.
Florida opened the door. On June 1, 2026, it became the first US state to file a civil lawsuit against OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, over the risks ChatGPT allegedly poses to minors.
What Florida is alleging
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier filed the complaint, which runs 83 pages.
The filing alleges that ChatGPT has contributed to real-world harm. It cites a shooting at a Tallahassee university and cases of self-harm among teenagers.
The legal theories are broad. Florida claims violations tied to unfair trade practices, product liability, public nuisance and negligence.
The stakes are large. The suit seeks potential civil penalties that could reach into the billions of dollars.
The remedies Florida is pursuing could include an overhaul of how the chatbot interacts with young users.
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The state also wants to hold Altman personally accountable.
The case keeps escalating
Florida did not stop at the original complaint. On September 28, 2026, the state asked the court for a temporary injunction.
That motion seeks two things. It would bar OpenAI from developing new models without third-party oversight, and it would restrict minors’ access to ChatGPT.
OpenAI has paused training its advanced models while it strengthens safety features for minors.
On October 13, 2026, a proposed class action was filed against OpenAI in California, targeting data practices and claiming unlawful collection of data involving minors.
A nationwide coalition of 42 states is also investigating OpenAI.
As of mid-October 2026, Florida’s case remains active.
How we got here
Florida’s lawsuit did not appear out of nowhere. State authorities have been scrutinizing the risks of AI tools for some time, and a growing number of individual lawsuits involving ChatGPT have piled up alongside that scrutiny.
What changed is the plaintiff. Individual families suing a tech giant is one thing, while a state attorney general wielding consumer protection and public nuisance law is a different weight class entirely.