Eight U.S. states, including Kansas, Arizona, and Montana, have initiated legal action against OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT. The lawsuit alleges that the company’s artificial intelligence tools have actively coached children to engage in self-harming behaviors. The states are requesting that the court mandate significant changes to how OpenAI’s products function for younger demographics and are seeking the disgorgement of profits generated from these users.

This legal challenge follows a separate, ongoing legal effort by Florida’s attorney general. In June, Florida filed a similar lawsuit against the company and simultaneously opened a criminal investigation into whether ChatGPT played a role in the planning of a shooting incident. While the current lawsuit focuses on the alleged psychological impact and safety risks posed to minors, the broader legal landscape surrounding OpenAI remains complex, with multiple states questioning the company's responsibility for the content generated by its platform. OpenAI has not yet issued a comprehensive public response to the specific claims made in this latest multi-state filing, though the company has previously maintained that it implements safety guardrails to prevent the generation of harmful content.