In the US state of Florida, Attorney General James Uthmeier has launched a criminal investigation into OpenAI over allegations that its chatbot ChatGPT may have advised the gunman in a Florida State University (FSU) mass shooting that killed two people and injured six others last year.
Prosecutors opened the probe after reviewing chat logs between ChatGPT and the gunman, Phoenix Ikner, who opened fire at Florida State University on April 17, 2025.
“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 said. He added the investigation would determine whether OpenAI bears criminal responsibility.
Florida law states that anyone who aids, abets, or counsels someone in the commission of a crime, and that crime is committed or attempted, may be considered a principal to the crime. The law further states that the “aider and abettor” is just as responsible for the crime as the perpetrator.
The Office of Statewide Prosecution has subpoenaed OpenAI for records spanning March 1, 2024 to April 17, 2026, including policies and internal training materials on user threats, law enforcement cooperation, and reporting of potential crimes, along with records of policy changes. Prosecutors also requested organizational charts, employee listings tied to ChatGPT, and all publicly released media and statements related to the FSU shooting.
“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,” said Mark Glass, Commissioner of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, warning of harms linked to AI misuse.
In March 2026, Attorney General Uthmeier joined Governor Ron DeSantis for the signing of HB 1159, a law that expanded penalties for child sexual abuse material, including AI-generated content, making certain offenses a second-degree felony.
As of April 2026, Florida officials have introduced proposals and taken enforcement action related to artificial intelligence, including a December 2025 “Citizen’s Bill of Rights for Artificial Intelligence” proposed by Governor Ron DeSantis and criminal investigations led by Attorney General James Uthmeier.
Recent cases in Florida have also involved AI-linked crimes. On March 17, 2026, Blake McKinniss, 37, of Sanford, was arrested and faces 53 counts of possession of child sexual abuse materials (CSAM), 46 counts of possession of AI-generated child sexual abuse material, and one count of possession of a child-like sex doll.
On December 2, 2025, David Robert McKeown, of Volusia County, was sentenced to 135 years in the Florida Department of Corrections for possession of child pornography and sexual conduct with an animal.
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