Eight US States Sue OpenAI Over Child Safety on ChatGPT

Eight US states have filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, accusing the ChatGPT maker of coaching children to harm themselves, according to The Guardian. The suit seeks to force the company to change how its products work for young users.

The action targets the artificial intelligence company behind ChatGPT over the way its products interact with minors. The states are seeking changes to the design and operation of OpenAI's products for young users, rather than monetary damages alone, according to the report.

The lawsuit adds to the mounting legal and regulatory scrutiny facing OpenAI. Separate accounts also published by The Guardian show that the Westminster-based company's London staff received an average of £2.3m per person annually, with 110 staff sharing £87m in salaries and £168m in shares.

The lawsuit is one of the most direct challenges yet to how AI chatbots are designed for children, and it puts the conduct of OpenAI's consumer products at the centre of a legal fight. For investors and partners in the AI sector, the case highlights growing legal risk around product design and child safety, a theme that has drawn increasing attention from regulators and lawmakers.

The outcome could set a precedent for how AI companies are required to modify their products for younger users. OpenAI has not commented on the lawsuit in the report.