Criminal probe launched into ChatGPT over Florida university shooting | Science, Climate & Tech News

Florida’s attorney general is launching a criminal probe into ChatGPT and its parent company OpenAI over whether the artificial intelligence app aided in a deadly university shooting that killed two people last year.

A gunman killed two people and wounded six others at Florida State University in April last year before he was shot and hospitalised. The suspect has been charged with multiple counts of murder and attempted murder.

Florida’s attorney general James Uthmeier said prosecutors had done an initial review of chat logs between ChatGPT and the alleged gunman to determine if the app aided, abetted or advised the commission of a crime.

“The chatbot advised the shooter on what ​type of gun to use, on which ammo went with which gun, on whether or not a gun would be useful at ​short range,” he said.

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

The attorney general’s office said the ‌investigation will determine whether “OpenAI bears criminal responsibility for ChatGPT’s actions in the shooting”.

The Office of Statewide Prosecution had subpoenaed OpenAI for information and records, ‌it added.

A spokesperson for OpenAI called the FSU shooting a tragedy but said the company had no responsibility.

They said the company proactively shared information with law enforcement and continues to cooperate with investigators.

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“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 spokesperson said.

The suspect in the FSU shooting, Phoenix Ikner, 21, faces two counts of first-degree murder and several counts of attempted first-degree murder. Prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty.

It comes after several lawsuits which have sought damages from AI and tech companies over the influence of AI chatbots and social media on the mental health of their loved ones.

Last month, a jury in Los Angeles found Meta and YouTube liable for harms to children using their services.

In New Mexico, a jury determined Meta knowingly harmed children’s mental health and concealed what it knew about child sexual exploitation on its platforms.