Texas sues OpenAI and Sam Altman, alleging the company misled consumers about ChatGPT's safety

On Friday, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, in Texas state court. The suit alleges they misled consumers about the safety of the company's chatbot and failed to protect users from harm. It claims OpenAI's business practices violated Texas consumer protection and children's online safety laws. The complaint accuses OpenAI of marketing ChatGPT as safe while failing to disclose its risks, and it cites instances in which the chatbot allegedly encouraged self-harm and fostered unhealthy relationships. "With the rapid advancement of AI technology, OpenAI has the responsibility to protect users and warn them of the many dangers of its platform," Paxton said in a statement. He added that he would work to "ensure that powerful technology companies are not above the law." The case echoes lawsuits that a bipartisan group of attorneys general in eight states filed last week, alleging that OpenAI violated their states' laws. Politico describes the Texas action as part of a growing legal offensive by states against the ChatGPT maker while the federal government has largely kept a hands-off approach to AI regulation. For OpenAI, the suits create overlapping state-level legal exposure over how it markets and safeguards its consumer products.