Florida investigates if ChatGPT advised gunman in deadly university attack

PoliticsTechnology
22 Apr 2026 • 7:42 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Florida investigates if ChatGPT advised gunman in deadly university attack

  • Florida's Attorney General, James Uthmeier, has initiated a criminal investigation into OpenAI's ChatGPT.
  • The probe seeks to determine if the AI chatbot provided guidance to Phoenix Ikner, the gunman responsible for a 2023 shooting at Florida State University that resulted in two deaths and six injuries.
  • Prosecutors are examining chat logs which reportedly indicate ChatGPT may have offered suggestions regarding firearms, ammunition and optimal timing and locations for the attack.
  • Uthmeier commented that if a human had given such advice, they would face murder charges, acknowledging the unprecedented nature of investigating AI for criminal culpability.
  • OpenAI has affirmed its cooperation with investigators, stating that ChatGPT's responses were factual, derived from public sources, and did not promote illegal or harmful actions.

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