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A bipartisan coalition of eight US states has sued OpenAI, alleging that the artificial intelligence company misled users about the safety of ChatGPT and failed to introduce adequate safeguards against self-harm, suicide and violence, according to a news report by Politico which cited Reuters.
The lawsuits, filed by state attorneys general in their respective state courts on Wednesday, seek court orders requiring OpenAI to change its safety practices, strengthen protections for children and pay damages to the states, the report said. The coalition includes Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska and West Virginia. All states except Arizona have Republican attorneys general, the report added. The lawsuits allege that OpenAI released increasingly powerful AI models without adequate safeguards or testing, despite concerns raised by its employees and public acknowledgement of the risks by its leadership. OpenAI knew that products this powerful required meaningful safeguards. Its leaders publicly acknowledged the risks, and its employees repeatedly raised serious safety concerns, the lawsuit filed in Arkansas said, according to Politico. It further alleged that the company prioritised growth and profits over safety as concerns mounted. Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird also criticised the company's safety measures, alleging that ChatGPT had provided dangerous medical advice and encouraged harmful behaviour. OpenAI claims ChatGPT is safe while its giving dangerous medical advice, encouraging people to hurt others and coaching people to commit suicide all while pretending to be their fake friend, Bird said in a statement, as quoted by Politico. Responding to the lawsuits, OpenAI spokesperson Drew Pusateri said the company had introduced protections based on users' ages and would continue working to improve its safety measures. While no system can be perfect, well continue to work with experts to inform our work and build additional safeguards, such as the parental controls, break reminders and age-appropriate model protections that exist today, Pusateri said in a statement cited by the report. He added that the company was committed to working with states on practical AI policies applicable across the industry. The latest legal action comes amid wider scrutiny of AI safety in the United States. Politico reported that Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier had filed a separate lawsuit against OpenAI in June and sought an injunction in September to halt the company's technology development amid that case. Several other states, including Alabama, California, Montana and New Mexico, are also examining OpenAI over AI safety and security concerns, the report said. The lawsuits add to regulatory pressure on the company, with the states seeking legally enforceable changes to its safety practices and stronger protections for users, particularly children. (ANI)
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