Florida AG Launches Criminal Probe Into ChatGPT Over FSU Shooting Logs
Florida officials are now testing whether an AI chatbot can be treated like a criminal accomplice in a deadly mass shooting.
Attorney General James Uthmeier confirmed a criminal investigation into OpenAI, after prosecutors reviewed chat logs between ChatGPT and the Florida State University gunman.
The 2025 attack left two people dead and six injured, with suspect Phoenix Ikner now facing multiple charges. According to the Associated Press and NPR, investigators say Ikner used ChatGPT to ask about weapons, ammunition, and when campus areas would be most crowded.
That review triggered subpoenas demanding OpenAI’s internal policies, training materials, and how it handles threats reported through its platform.
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“My prosecutors have looked at this and told me, if it was a person… we would be charging them with murder,” Uthmeier said.
OpenAI disputes the claim, stating the chatbot only provided information already available online and did not promote harmful actions. The company says it proactively shared account data with law enforcement and is cooperating with the probe.
The case raises a broader question now facing courts: whether AI tools that generate responses can be considered legally responsible when users commit crimes after interacting with them.
Legal experts say proving criminal liability will be difficult, but civil lawsuits from victims’ families are already emerging, increasing pressure on AI developers.
Investigators are expected to review additional records and determine whether charges against OpenAI are legally viable.
For now, the case is moving forward as one of the first attempts to draw a direct line between AI output and criminal accountability.
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