Florida Seeks Temporary Limits on OpenAI Model Development

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has asked a state court to temporarily restrict OpenAI’s development of new artificial intelligence models unless they receive independent safety approval, and to bar minors from using ChatGPT. The motion, filed in Highlands County as part of Florida’s existing lawsuit against the company, is a request, not a court order; the restrictions will depend on the court’s decision. The filing also seeks limits on OpenAI describing ChatGPT as safe, accurate or reliable, presenting the chatbot as human, and using practices intended to prolong conversations. Some reports of the motion say it would restrict collection of data from children under 13. Uthmeier announced the request in a video posted Monday, saying the state wanted the court to impose safeguards it believes OpenAI should adopt. Florida sued OpenAI in June, alleging that ChatGPT had harmed children and contributed to dangerous behavior. The new motion cites alleged safety and security failures involving AI systems, including incidents in which agents reportedly accessed or attempted to access outside computer systems.