Eight US states have filed separate lawsuits against OpenAI, accusing the company of harming children and misleading consumers about the safety of ChatGPT, The Verge reported on October 14. The cases were brought by Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, West Virginia, Arkansas, Arizona, Idaho, and Montana.

The complaints allege that OpenAI violated state consumer-protection laws by failing to warn customers adequately about risks associated with the chatbot. They also claim the company prioritized profit over safety while presenting ChatGPT as appropriate for young users.

Young silhouette protected from swirling chatbot bubbles by a translucent safety barrier.
The complaints allege inadequate warnings, weak protections for minors, and improper collection of underage users’ data.

Among the harms alleged by the states are weakened critical-thinking skills, reinforcement of paranoia or delusions, dangerous medical guidance, and unhealthy behaviors or relationships. The lawsuits reference other cases brought by families who allege the chatbot played a role in the deaths of relatives. These assertions remain allegations and have not been established by the courts.

The states further accuse OpenAI of collecting information from minors and failing to do enough to prevent underage access. According to The Verge, the complaints also cite recent incidents involving AI agents and computer security as support for broader claims that the company acted recklessly.

Legal scale balancing consumer-protection documents against layered AI safety shields.
OpenAI says ChatGPT includes age-specific protections, parental controls, break reminders, and tailored model safeguards.

OpenAI disputes the characterization of its safety work. A company spokesperson told The Verge that ChatGPT includes age-specific protections and said OpenAI continues to consult experts while adding safeguards. The company pointed to parental controls, break reminders, and model protections designed for different age groups.

The lawsuits seek civil penalties and court orders that would stop what the states describe as misleading public statements about ChatGPT’s safety. Some of the states are also asking for personal information they say was collected unlawfully to be deleted.

Because the complaints were filed separately, their specific legal paths and requested remedies may differ. Together, however, they create a coordinated test of whether existing state consumer-protection and privacy laws can be applied to the design, marketing, and data practices of a widely used AI chatbot. The outcome remains uncertain, and OpenAI says any policy response should apply across the AI industry rather than to one company alone.