- Florida AG James Uthmeier has proposed legislation that would establish liability for companies that own, control, or distribute artificial intelligence chatbots when those systems are involved in criminal activities. The proposal follows a civil lawsuit filed by Florida against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman on June 1, 2026. The lawsuit alleges that OpenAI marketed ChatGPT as safe while failing to address internal warnings, deceiving parents, and putting children at risk.
- In April, Florida’s Office of Statewide Prosecution launched a criminal investigation into OpenAI and ChatGPT after prosecutors reviewed chat logs between ChatGPT and Phoenix Ikner, the accused gunman in the April 17, 2025, shooting at Florida State University. The AG further expanded that investigation following allegations that the suspect in the killings of two University of South Florida doctoral students had used ChatGPT in the days preceding the murders. Additionally, in March 2026, AG Uthmeier joined Governor Ron DeSantis at the signing of HB 1159, which increased the penalty for creating AI-generated CSAM to a second-degree felony.
- Under the proposed legislation, a business that owns, controls, or distributes an AI system is liable if that system is involved in a crime. The proposal would apply to companies that own, control, distribute, and profit from the system and cover any company with practical control over design, training, development, or safety settings, including making the system available to Florida users. Penalties for a business convicted under the legislation would include fines, payment to victims, and court-ordered monitorship.