Florida AG launches criminal investigation into OpenAI over FSU shooting
Fox News contributor Francis Suarez discusses OpenAI’s policy plan on the potential implications of widespread artificial intelligence integration in ‘The Bottom Line.’
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has launched a criminal investigation into OpenAI over whether Artificial Intelligence chatbot ChatGPT could be legally responsible for last year’s deadly shooting at Florida State University.
The investigation follows a review of conversations between the suspect, Phoenix Ikner, and ChatGPT after the attack on April 17, 2025, which left two dead and six injured.
Uthmeier alleges that the chatbot advised the gunman on which weapons and ammunition to use, and when and where to attack to meet other people.
“If this had been the person on the other side of the screen, we would have charged him with murder,” Uthmeier said. “Just because this is a chatbot, an AI, doesn’t mean there’s no evidence of a crime. So, we’re going to look at who knew what, designed what or should have done more.”
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Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announces a criminal investigation into OpenAI during a press conference in Tallahassee. (Florida AG James Uthmeier Facebook / Fox News)
Federal officials are evaluating whether OpenAI can be charged under Florida law, which allows those who aid, abet or advise a crime to be charged as principals.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office has subpoenaed OpenAI for internal policies, training materials and records related to how the company handles threats of violence and cooperates with law enforcement, according to the announcement.
OpenAI has pushed back against the claims, saying its technology did not encourage or enable the attack.
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OpenAI logo Feb. 16, 2025 (Reuters/Dado Ruvic/Reuters)
“Last year’s mass shooting at Florida State University was a tragedy, but ChatGPT is not responsible for this heinous crime,” OpenAI spokeswoman Kate Waters said in a statement to Fox News. “After learning of the incident, we identified a ChatGPT account believed to be associated with the suspect and shared this information with law enforcement.”
He said OpenAI continues to work with authorities and is working to strengthen ChatGPT’s defenses to detect “malicious intent, mitigate abuse and respond appropriately when security risks arise.”
“In this case, ChatGPT provided truthful answers to questions with information widely available from all public sources on the Internet, and did not encourage or promote illegal or dangerous activity,” Waters said. “ChatGPT is a general purpose tool used by hundreds of millions of people every day for legitimate purposes.”
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Phoenix Ikner, 20, was arrested on murder and related charges Monday after being released from the hospital where he had been since the April 17 shooting at a Tallahassee wing. (Leon County Sheriff’s Office / Fox News)
Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass said the case highlights broader concerns about artificial intelligence.
“Artificial intelligence is built by humans. Humans are fallible. Humans make mistakes,” Glass said.
Earlier, authorities said that Ikner, 20, opened fire on the school using weapons stolen from his parents’ home before being shot and injured by police.
He was later charged with two counts of first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder with a firearm.
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The case is now being cited by Florida officials as part of a broader campaign to crack down on crimes involving artificial intelligence, including a law signed earlier this year that increases penalties for AI-generated child sex abuse.
