US state probes OpenAI over shooting spree

ChatGPT advised a Florida man on how to perpetrate an attack at a university which left two dead

Florida has launched a criminal probe into OpenAI and ChatGPT over a shooting spree at Florida State University, which the perpetrator planned with the help of the AI chatbot.

The incident occurred in April 2025, when the suspect allegedly killed two and injured six people. He was subsequently injured in a shootout with the police and taken into custody. The gunman, who turned out to be the son of a deputy sheriff, was charged with multiple counts of murder and attempted murder.

The US state is now probing ChatGPT’s role in the attack and seeks to determine whether “OpenAI bears criminal responsibility” for the chatbot’s actions, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced on Tuesday. 

“The chatbot advised the shooter on what ⁠type of gun to use, on which ammo went with which gun, and on whether or not a gun would be useful at short range,” Uthmeier told a press briefing. 

“If it was a person on the other end of that screen, we would be charging them with murder,” he added.

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OpenAI has insisted it bears no responsibility for the Florida mass shooting. A spokeswoman for the artificial intelligence firm told US media that it had “proactively” cooperated with the investigation of the incident, identifying a ChatGPT account believed to be associated with the suspect and sharing the information with the authorities. 

“In this case, ChatGPT provided factual responses to questions ⁠with information that could be found broadly across public sources on the internet, and it did not encourage or promote illegal or harmful activity,” the spokeswoman stated.

The rise of chatbots has long-prompted concerns over AI-enabled crimes, voiced by numerous independent researchers and government agencies worldwide. While the bulk of AI-powered crimes appear to take place in the tech sphere, including hacks, cyberattacks, fraud, and identity theft, the chatbots have been repeatedly implicated in aiding violent crime as well. A recent joint investigation by CNN and the Center for Countering Digital Hate, for instance, found that eight out of ten leaders were ready to assist users in staging violent attacks, including religiously motivated bombings, school shootings, and assassinations.