State Attorneys General Investigate OpenAI

A coalition of state attorneys general has reportedly opened an investigation into OpenAI. The company was served with a subpoena from New York's attorney general on Friday, according to The Wall Street Journal. That subpoena sought documents related to a broad range of topics including the company's advertising, user engagement and retention, model sycophancy, handling of consumer data and health data, and treatment of minors and seniors.

TechCrunch has reached out to OpenAI and the New York attorney general's office for confirmation. A company spokesperson told the WSJ that OpenAI is cooperating with the investigation. "AI is a new and powerful technology, and we work every day to safely bring its benefits to people in a responsible way," the spokesperson said in a statement.

"We take the concerns raised by state attorneys general seriously and intend to engage constructively with their offices." According to Bloomberg, the spokesperson also said that ChatGPT now "includes a more protective experience for minors and people experiencing difficult situations, with safeguards that direct them to real-world resources and trusted human contacts." The company declined to specify which states are involved in the investigation or to share more details about what information was requested. OpenAI recently defeated its co-founder Elon Musk in a high-profile trial, after Musk accused the company of violating its founding agreement. (Musk's lead attorney said he will appeal the decision.) However, OpenAI still faces lawsuits over everything from alleged copyright infringement to ChatGPT's alleged role in suicide.

Earlier this month, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier sued OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman, claiming that OpenAI and Altman "ignored internal and external safety warnings, put children at great risk, and allowed a dangerous product to reach millions of Floridians." Altman recently apologized to the community of Tumbler Ridge, Canada after a mass shooting; he acknowledged that OpenAI failed to alert law enforcement after the company flagged and banned the suspected shooter's ChatGPT account. The company announced this week that it has filed confidentially to go public. The investigation by state attorneys general marks a significant escalation of scrutiny on OpenAI, which has been facing mounting criticism over its handling of user data and safety concerns.

As the company prepares to go public, it will need to address these concerns and demonstrate its commitment to responsible AI development. The outcome of this investigation could have far-reaching implications for OpenAI and the broader AI industry, influencing how companies approach data protection, user safety, and regulatory compliance. Developers and businesses will be watching closely to see how OpenAI navigates this challenge, and consumers will be eager to see if the company can deliver on its promise of safe and responsible AI.