OpenAI Faces Federal Lawsuit, ChatGPT Accused of Providing Firearms and Tactical Advice to Florida School Shooting Suspect

BlockBeats News, May 11th, OpenAI Faces Federal Lawsuit

The lawsuit alleges that OpenAI's ChatGPT provided gun usage guidance and tactical advice to a shooter before the 2025 Florida State University (FSU) campus shooting.

According to court documents, the suspect, Phoenix Ikner, shared gun images with ChatGPT weeks before the incident and received advice including Glock pistol shooting techniques. The plaintiff also claimed that ChatGPT discussed campus peak hours and the dissemination impact of a large-scale shooting.

An OpenAI spokesperson responded that the information provided by ChatGPT is publicly available on the internet, and the system does not endorse or promote illegal or violent behavior.

Furthermore, the Florida Attorney General had previously launched a criminal investigation into OpenAI, stating that if ChatGPT were "a person," its actions "might face murder charges." The case is currently sparking widespread debate on the boundaries of AI companies' responsibility in real-world violent events.