Skip to content

Florida opens criminal inquiry into ChatGPT messages tied to FSU shooting

newsApr 21, 2026313

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody opened a criminal inquiry into OpenAI and its ChatGPT after messages between the chatbot and the man accused of killing two people at Florida State University last year surfaced. State investigators are reviewing chat transcripts to determine whether the chatbot's messages played a role in the suspect's actions and whether state criminal laws were violated. The inquiry could push prosecutors to demand chat logs from AI companies and test whether firms can face criminal liability for AI-generated content, potentially shaping state-level rules for generative AI.

Key Highlights

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody opened a criminal inquiry into OpenAI's ChatGPT.
Messages between ChatGPT and the man accused in the FSU killings surfaced.
Inquiry could force OpenAI to produce chat transcripts in criminal investigations.
1 source