OpenAI Sued Over FSU Mass Shooting: ChatGPT's Role?

The family of a man killed in a 2025 mass shooting at Florida State University has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI. They claim the shooter was aided by ChatGPT in planning the attack. The family of Tiru Chabba filed the lawsuit on Sunday in Florida federal court, naming both OpenAI and the charged shooter, Phoenix Ikner. This is at least the second U.S. lawsuit accusing OpenAI of facilitating a mass shooting. The lawsuit alleges ChatGPT acted as a co-conspirator because Ikner used information from the chatbot to plan and carry out the attack. It states that the chatbot did not flag or escalate conversations about mass shootings, weapon lethality, or busy times at the FSU student union. OpenAI spokesperson Drew Pusateri stated that ChatGPT is not responsible for the crime, saying it provided factual responses found in public sources and did not encourage harmful activity. He added that the company shared an account believed to be associated with the suspect with law enforcement and continues to cooperate. Authorities say Ikner killed two people and wounded four others before being shot by officers. He faces multiple charges, including two counts of first-degree murder. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier launched a criminal investigation into ChatGPT’s role after reviewing chat logs. This case highlights ongoing concerns about AI companies' responsibility in preventing harmful interactions.