A coalition led by New York’s attorney general issued a broad subpoena seeking records on advertising, user retention, sensitive data, product use by children and older users, model design and internal policies; OpenAI said it will engage constructively.
OpenAI is facing a joint investigation by a coalition of U.S. state attorneys general led by New York’s attorney general, which issued a broad subpoena on Friday, June 12 seeking records on advertising practices, user interactions, data management, product use by children and older users, deep learning algorithms, consumer health information and user retention tactics. OpenAI said it takes the concerns seriously and intends to engage constructively. The probe reaches into core aspects of ChatGPT’s design and oversight, potentially increasing scrutiny of how OpenAI markets, builds and monitors its AI products as regulators focus on safety, privacy, engagement practices and handling of sensitive conversations. It follows months of pressure from state authorities, including letters warning about chatbot safeguards for children and sexually inappropriate chatbot interactions. The investigation also comes after Florida became the first state to sue OpenAI directly. On June 1, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier sued OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, alleging ChatGPT harmed children by providing information to school shooters, offering self-harm guidance and addicting young users without adequate parental controls. OpenAI responded that it has industry-leading protections and policies, including age prediction tools and a more protective experience for minors. The broader state push is unfolding faster than federal legislation, even as Congress advances proposals such as the GUARD Act and states continue introducing and enacting AI-related laws.