Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has initiated a lawsuit against OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, alleging that it has misled and harmed residents of the state. This legal action is part of a larger trend of lawsuits filed by Paxton against major technology firms as he campaigns for a seat in the U.S. Senate.
The lawsuit was lodged on Friday in the Collin County district court, naming both OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman. The filing opens with a quote from Altman dating back to 2015, in which he predicted that “AI will probably most likely lead to the end of the world, but in the meantime, there’ll be great companies.”
Paxton claims that OpenAI has failed to adequately regulate ChatGPT, resulting in harm to Texans. His office outlined several serious allegations, stating, “Mass shooters have been aided and abetted in deadly rampages, vulnerable people have been encouraged into suicide, professionals have suffered public humiliation, users have lost critical thinking skills, and minors have become addicted to a tool that fakes human compassion to collect their data with no parental oversight.” This statement emphasizes the dangers posed by the company’s pursuit of profit and technological dominance.
In response to these concerns, Paxton’s office is seeking a comprehensive injunction that would mandate OpenAI to restrict access to its services for minors and to obtain approval from a court-appointed evaluator for any new models introduced.
Over the past year, Paxton has taken legal action against several companies, including Meta, TikTok, Snapchat, and Roblox, citing their lack of sufficient protections for Texans, particularly children.
OpenAI’s relationship with Elon Musk, a significant financial supporter of Paxton’s Senate campaign, adds another layer to this lawsuit. Musk, who was a co-founder of OpenAI, departed the organization in 2018 after a public dispute with Altman regarding its direction. Following his exit, OpenAI released ChatGPT, while Musk launched his own AI venture, xAI.
In 2024, Musk filed a $1.5 billion lawsuit against OpenAI and Altman, which was ultimately dismissed by a federal judge, allowing ChatGPT to maintain its market position. Musk’s own AI chatbot, Grok, has faced controversy for permitting users to create “deepfake” pornography using images, including those of minors. While Texas has yet to take action against Musk, California’s attorney general is currently investigating the matter.
An OpenAI spokesperson asserted that the company is actively working with experts to address potential risks and enhance safety measures. The spokesperson stated, “Governments have an important role to play in setting robust safety standards for AI, and we’re committed to working with Texas and other states on advancing pragmatic AI policies that apply to the entire AI industry — not just one company.”
As with many of Paxton’s prominent legal actions against technology companies, this case is being represented by outside counsel, including Ashley Keller and Tony Buzbee, who represented Paxton during his impeachment proceedings in 2023.
