Florida officials have officially opened a criminal investigation into OpenAI following the discovery of chat logs between the ChatGPT platform and Phoenix Ikner, the gunman responsible for last year’s shooting at Florida State University.
Attorney General James Uthmeier confirmed that the Office of Statewide Prosecution is spearheading the inquiry to determine if the technology company bears any criminal responsibility for the tragedy.
The investigation hinges on Florida’s “aider and abettor” laws. Under state statutes, any person or entity that aids, counsels, or abets the commission of a crime can be prosecuted as a principal, carrying the same legal weight as the person who pulled the trigger.
“Florida is leading the way in cracking down on AI’s use in criminal behavior, and if ChatGPT were a person, it would be facing charges for murder,” Uthmeier stated, emphasizing that the probe will look directly at whether the AI’s interactions with Ikner crossed a legal line.
READ: Prosecutors Seek Death For Woman In Hillsborough And Manatee Ex-Lovers’ Slayings
As part of the investigation, the state has issued a wide-ranging subpoena to OpenAI. Prosecutors are demanding internal records dating back to March 2024, including training materials and policies regarding how the AI handles users who threaten harm to themselves or others.
The state is also seeking the company’s internal organizational charts and specific protocols for reporting potential crimes to law enforcement.
Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass noted that the case serves as a broader warning about the evolution of technology. “It is important that all are aware of the risks of this new technology, and the harms it can and has already caused in our communities,” Glass said.
This isn’t the first time Florida has targeted AI in the courtroom. The state recently secured a 135-year prison sentence for a predator involving AI-generated child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Just last month, Governor Ron DeSantis signed HB 1159, a law that elevated the possession of AI-generated CSAM to a second-degree felony.
While OpenAI has not yet publicly commented on the subpoena, the outcome of this investigation could set a massive legal precedent for how much responsibility tech companies must take for the “advice” or conversations generated by their algorithms.
For now, the Office of Statewide Prosecution is focused on the specifics of the FSU shooting, looking for any evidence that the software played a role in the lead-up to the April 17, 2025, attack.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox
