Florida is mounting one of the most aggressive state-level legal challenges yet against OpenAI, asking a court to halt the company's training of new AI models unless it puts outside safeguards in place — and to block minors from using ChatGPT.
The new filing escalates a dispute that began after the 2025 mass shooting at Florida State University, where the suspect allegedly used ChatGPT before the attack.
Here's what to know
Engadget reported that Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier is seeking emergency limits on OpenAI in state court, including outside oversight for new model development and a cutoff for underage ChatGPT users.
The June lawsuit followed a criminal investigation his office opened in April after the Florida State case.
In an X video, Uthmeier laid out the state's demands in blunt terms: "No new model development without independent safety guardrails; no more harvesting children's data; no more calling this product safe, accurate, or reliable; no more pretending it's human; no more tricks designed to keep users talking past the point of danger."
Four months ago, we filed the first state-led lawsuit against OpenAI and Sam Altman. Today, we are asking the court for a temporary injunction. Stop calling it safe. Stop pretending it's human. Stop selling it to kids. https://t.co/AEXvz7VQUd
— Attorney General James Uthmeier (@AGJamesUthmeier) September 28, 2026
To support the request, the attorney general's office points to OpenAI's own public statements, including security disclosures made after the Hugging Face hack and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's calls for frontier AI work to proceed more slowly.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
OpenAI did not respond to Engadget's request for comment, the outlet reported.
More background
Florida's argument is not simply that AI can be misused. The state is also arguing that companies building increasingly powerful systems may need independent guardrails in place before releasing more advanced versions.
In February, Canadian regulators urged the company to revise how it handles harm threats after a Wall Street Journal report said OpenAI identified the account of alleged Tumbler Ridge shooter Jesse Van Rootselaar in 2025 but did not report the threats to law enforcement.
The company agreed to updated policies for working with Canadian law enforcement.
What's being done?
Florida is seeking a court-ordered pause on certain OpenAI activities. If a judge grants any part of the request, the case could become a closely watched test of how far states can go in regulating AI development and access.
OpenAI has defended its product by emphasizing its scale and intended use. After Uthmeier's office initially opened its criminal investigation into the company, it told Engadget: "Last year's mass shooting at Florida State University was a tragedy, but ChatGPT is not responsible for this terrible crime... ChatGPT is a general-purpose tool used by hundreds of millions of people every day for legitimate purposes. We work continuously to strengthen our safeguards to detect harmful intent, limit misuse, and respond appropriately when safety risks arise."
"If Sam Altman meant what he said about slowing down, he can join our ask to the court," Uthmeier said. "If he will not, we ask the court to do what OpenAI will not do for itself — protect Florida families."
Where can I learn more?
Florida's case is part of a broader wave of scrutiny around OpenAI. These articles cover state investigations, harm-based lawsuits, training disputes, fights over federal regulation, and local resistance to AI expansion.
• OpenAI faced a New York subpoena over harms to minors and data use.
• OpenAI and Microsoft were hit with a lawsuit over ChatGPT after an alleged murder-suicide.
• Publishers and creators argue copyright complaints against tech companies could reshape how AI models train.
• In Congress, lawmakers pushed a controversial AI regulation plan that critics say weakens oversight.
• In Walton County, officials moved to ban AI data centers before Florida could preempt them.
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
