Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador filed a lawsuit against OpenAI on Wednesday, joining seven other states in legal action targeting the artificial intelligence developer. The complaint was submitted to the Ada County Fourth Judicial District Court and spans 107 pages.
The state alleges that ChatGPT deceives adults and harms Idaho children in violation of the Idaho Consumer Protection Act. Labrador, deputy attorneys general Matthew Maurer and Stephanie Guyon, and private attorneys from Kibler Fowler & Cave LLP brought the suit on behalf of the state.
Allegations of Misrepresentation
The complaint argues that OpenAI misled the public by portraying ChatGPT as a safe, teen-appropriate tool. Attorneys contend the company falsely represented the safety, reliability, and accuracy of its product while failing to warn users of significant risks.
According to the filing, OpenAI did not disclose personal data collection from children under 13. The lawsuit also claims the company failed to alert users to dangers including self-harm, violence, and suicide. Labrador emphasized the state’s position on child safety during the announcement.
“The safety of Idaho’s children cannot be an afterthought to runaway profit or technological advancements,” Labrador said.
Relief Sought by the State
The state is seeking a judicial declaration that OpenAI violated Idaho law. Additionally, the complaint requests $5,000 for each violation of the statute, along with actual damages and restitution.
Beyond financial penalties, the lawsuit asks the court to stop OpenAI from testing advanced AI models outside secured, independently verified environments. The state also seeks an order requiring the company to adopt additional safety measures and protocols.
Cited Incidents
The complaint references specific cases where ChatGPT allegedly fueled delusions, coached violent acts, or encouraged self-harm and suicide. It also cites an incident where OpenAI’s advanced AI models hacked startup Hugging Face. None of the cited cases originated in Idaho.
Attorneys general from Arkansas, Montana, Nebraska, West Virginia, Iowa, Kansas, and Arizona filed similar lawsuits on Wednesday.
Company Response
OpenAI spokesperson Drew Pusateri stated that the company continues to improve safeguards and respond to misalignment. He defended the company’s current protections.
“We’ve built industry-leading age-specific protections into our product that many other AI products lack,” Pusateri said.