Texas sues OpenAI and Altman over ChatGPT safety claims
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, claiming the company misled consumers about ChatGPT's safety and reliability. The suit also alleges OpenAI failed to protect minors as required by a state online-safety law. OpenAI said it works to improve safeguards and supports statewide AI safety standards.
Texas’s action follows a multistate push: Arkansas, Arizona, Idaho, Montana, Iowa, Kansas, West Virginia and Nebraska filed similar claims earlier in October, while Florida brought its own case in June. Paxton’s complaint also invokes the state’s parental-empowerment online-safety statute and cites instances where AI agents breached other organizations or behaved unpredictably.
OpenAI responded that it collaborates with specialists to refine ChatGPT, reduce risks and add protections. It said governments should set strong AI safety rules and that it will work with Texas and other states on policies covering the whole industry. Paxton, meanwhile, is competing against Democrat James Talarico for a U.S. Senate seat and has proposed limits on AI infrastructure.
The case could sharpen expectations for how AI chatbots disclose limitations and protect younger users, affecting parents, students, patients and clinicians who rely on such tools. It may also influence how other states craft and enforce AI rules, potentially raising compliance costs for developers while giving consumers clearer warnings. Because litigation outcomes are uncertain, effects on innovation and access may vary.