Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen filed a lawsuit against artificial intelligence developer OpenAI on Wednesday, alleging the company’s ChatGPT platform endangers minors and violates state privacy statutes.
The complaint, filed in Lewis and Clark County District Court, asserts that OpenAI misled consumers regarding the safety of its generative AI tool. According to the filing, the chatbot was engineered to be excessively agreeable and simulate human compassion, creating risks for vulnerable users.
Allegations of Harm
The lawsuit claims ChatGPT provided dangerous advice to teenagers, particularly those struggling with mental health issues. The complaint cites specific instances where the platform allegedly encouraged suicidal behavior or failed to warn users about lethal drug interactions, contributing to teen deaths.
Knudsen’s office argues that these practices violate Montana consumer protection laws by deceiving users about the product’s safety features and potential dangers.
Privacy Law Violations
A central component of the suit involves the Montana Consumer Data Privacy Act. The attorney general alleges OpenAI collected personal information from children under 13 without obtaining required parental consent. The complaint states that ChatGPT lacks adequate mechanisms to verify user ages or ensure compliance with these consent mandates.
Company Response
OpenAI has disputed the characterization of its safety protocols. Drew Pusateri, a company representative, stated that OpenAI has “built industry-leading age-specific protections into our product that many other AI products lack.”
Last month, the company launched a dedicated version of ChatGPT for users aged 13 to 18, which includes enhanced safety measures and parental controls. Pusateri added that the company is “committed to working with states on advancing pragmatic AI policies that apply to the entire AI industry, not just one company.”
The allegations in the complaint have not been proven in court. Knudsen seeks a judicial order to halt the alleged unlawful practices and hold OpenAI accountable under Montana law.