OpenAI Faces Multistate Investigation by State Attorneys General
OpenAI is under a multistate investigation by a coalition of state attorneys general, according to reports. The company received a subpoena seeking documents related to its business practices, data handling, and user safety. The inquiry reportedly focuses on areas such as advertising, user engagement, interactions with minors, and concerns over 'model sycophancy.' OpenAI has stated its intention to cooperate with the investigation.
A coalition of state attorneys general has launched a multistate investigation into OpenAI, the artificial intelligence company. The Wall Street Journal reported that OpenAI received a subpoena on Friday, requesting documents pertaining to its business practices and impact on users.
The subpoena, reportedly viewed by The Wall Street Journal from New York's attorney general, seeks information on several aspects of OpenAI's operations. These include the company's advertising practices, strategies for user engagement and retention, data handling protocols, and methods for managing interactions with minors and senior users.
Investigators are also inquiring about "model sycophancy," a concern in the AI industry regarding chatbots that may prioritize telling users what they want to hear over providing accurate information. An OpenAI spokesperson informed The Wall Street Journal that the company takes these concerns seriously and plans to engage constructively with the attorneys general.
The investigation emerges amid a period of increasing legal and regulatory scrutiny for OpenAI. Prior to this, Florida's attorney general initiated a criminal investigation in April following reports linking a suspect in a 2025 Florida State University shooting to ChatGPT usage. The company has also been named in wrongful death lawsuits related to chatbot interactions.
This new investigation comes just days after OpenAI reportedly filed paperwork with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to go public. (Source: Mashable Tech, citing The Wall Street Journal)
