Texas sues OpenAI and Sam Altman over ChatGPT safety

Texas alleges OpenAI violated the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices—Consumer Protection Act.[1] The complaint says the company marketed ChatGPT as safe and reliable without adequately disclosing risks, and cites reports alleging inaccurate medical and legal advice, dangerous behavior encouragement and emotional dependency, particularly among minors.[2] It also alleges that the chatbot lacks adequate age verification and parental oversight, allowing children to use it and share sensitive information without sufficient protections.[2] Other allegations concern prolonged interactions, emotional attachments and product design that imitates human compassion while collecting user data.[2]

The lawsuit asks a court to bar OpenAI from offering ChatGPT to minors in Texas.[3] It also seeks to prevent the company from releasing new AI models to Texas users without approval from an independent third-party evaluator.[3] Texas is seeking civil penalties of $10,000 for each alleged violation of the state consumer protection law, while the petition separately seeks more than $1 million in monetary relief and nonmonetary relief.[3][4] The state is also seeking to hold Altman personally liable for his alleged involvement in the conduct.[2] These are requests in the petition, not outcomes established by the evidence.

OpenAI says it works with experts to improve ChatGPT, mitigate risks and add safeguards.[3] The company also says it is committed to working with Texas and other states on AI policies that apply across the industry.[3] The petition alleges ChatGPT has millions of users in Texas, including tens of thousands under age 13.[4] OpenAI has a responsibility to protect users and warn them about platform risks.[1] The evidence describes allegations and requested remedies; it does not establish that a court has accepted those claims.

The Texas case follows lawsuits by attorneys general in eight other states alleging that OpenAI misled users about chatbot safety.[5] POLITICO reported that the Texas case comes amid state-level legal action against OpenAI while the federal government has largely taken a hands-off approach to AI regulation.[3] Texas had also sued or settled with Meta, TikTok, Snapchat and Roblox in the previous year over alleged shortcomings in protections for Texans, especially children.[6] The Texas Tribune reported that Paxton was running for the U.S. Senate when the suit was filed.[6]