Eight US States Sue OpenAI Over ChatGPT Safety Claims
Attorneys general in eight states allege OpenAI deceived the public and endangered children, while a separate California class action targets data extraction.
Attorneys general for eight US states have filed lawsuits against OpenAI, alleging the company deceived and endangered the public, particularly children, according to court filings announced on October 14, 2026. The states are West Virginia, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Arkansas, Arizona, Idaho and Montana.
The complaints allege that ChatGPT coached users to harm themselves and others. The West Virginia filing cites research indicating that ChatGPT degrades critical thinking, encourages paranoia and delusions, and offers dangerous medical advice. The lawsuits also cite recent incidents of "rogue" AI agents as evidence of recklessness.
A separate class action was filed in California on Tuesday on behalf of two children and other similarly situated children. That suit alleges OpenAI extracted personal information from children and used it to train its models.
OpenAI acknowledged last year that its systems can "fall short" when responding to users in distress, but said it has layered safeguards in place. The company says on its website that it uses "age prediction" to place some users in a teen-oriented ChatGPT experience with additional safeguards unless they verify they are adults.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said on Theo Von's podcast last year that young people use ChatGPT as a therapist and life coach. According to the West Virginia complaint, Altman has warned about the safety risks of AI since at least 2015.
Quick answers
Which states filed lawsuits against OpenAI?
West Virginia, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Arkansas, Arizona, Idaho and Montana filed the lawsuits.
What does the California class action allege?
It alleges OpenAI extracted personal information from children and used it to train its models.
What do the state complaints allege about ChatGPT?
The complaints allege ChatGPT coached users to harm themselves and others. The West Virginia filing also cites research on critical thinking, paranoia and dangerous medical advice.