Eight US States Sue OpenAI Over ChatGPT's Impact on Children

Eight US states filed lawsuits against OpenAI last October 14, 2026, for allegedly making children suicidal with ChatGPT. The cases were brought in various jurisdictions, and while Iowa and Kansas have been named as two of the states involved, the other six remain unnamed in the reports.

The cases may impose significant changes to how the system moderates content for children and take away profits earned by the company from the audience. The states have asked the courts to mandate changes to ChatGPT and to make the company give back profits earned through the tool from children. The requests have so far been denied, and the allegations have not been proven in court.

What the Eight States Allege Against OpenAI

The states’ cases allege that the tool has encouraged children to hurt themselves and others. The reports do not reveal the arguments made by each case, as well as the specific allegations and court orders sought by each jurisdiction. Therefore, the states’ accusations against OpenAI are all claims made in the lawsuits, not proven allegations.

Florida Attorney General’s Separate Lawsuit Against OpenAI

The latest developments come as OpenAI faces a separate case from a Florida government official. On June 1, 2026, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier filed a civil lawsuit against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, alleging that the company had concealed information about ChatGPT’s dangers to children. In its complaints, the government accused the firms of being deliberately reckless about the artificial intelligence (AI) tool’s impact and putting young users at risk for the sake of profits. The allegations against OpenAI and Altman are part of a separate case from the eight new ones.

OpenAI faced more than a dozen lawsuits all alleging that ChatGPT had in some way fueled mass shootings or other crimes. The reports do not mention any response from the organization regarding the eight new cases.

What Happens Next in the ChatGPT Lawsuits

The next steps to watch for in these developments are the rulings from the courts, as the states seek to overturn OpenAI’s operations and seek profits from the companies. No timeline was given for the court orders.

#artificial intelligence #law enforcement #safety #ai models