A widow of one of the victims killed in the 2025 mass shooting at Florida State University in the United States has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, maker of ChatGPT, alleging that the chatbot contributed to the attack.
The lawsuit, filed on Sunday in a federal court, was brought by Vandana Joshi, whose husband, Tiru Chabba, was killed in the April 2025 shooting at the university in Tallahassee, Florida.
According to court filings, prosecutors believe the suspect, Phoenix Ikner, consulted ChatGPT for information on locations, timing, firearms and ammunition ahead of the attack.
The suit alleged that the chatbot suggested attacks involving children could attract wider national attention, reportedly stating that “even 2-3 victims can draw more attention.”
Mrs Joshi argued in the filing that OpenAI was aware of the potential misuse of its artificial intelligence system and failed to prevent harmful interactions.
The April 2025 shooting at Florida State University left two persons dead and six others injured.
OpenAI, however, denied wrongdoing.
A company spokesperson, Drew Pusateri, said ChatGPT only generated factual responses already widely available online and did not encourage or promote illegal activity.
The case adds to mounting legal scrutiny facing artificial intelligence firms over safety, accountability and content moderation.
In a separate case filed in August 2024, the parents of 16-year-old Adam Raine sued OpenAI for wrongful death, alleging their son exchanged harmful messages with the chatbot before taking his own life.
The lawsuit claimed the teenager was able to bypass safety measures designed to prevent dangerous conversations.
Meanwhile, Florida’s Attorney General said in April that a criminal investigation was ongoing to determine whether the AI chatbot’s responses to the suspect violated any laws.
If convicted, Ikner, who has pleaded not guilty, could face the death penalty.
The latest lawsuit comes amid broader legal challenges against major technology firms over alleged harms linked to digital platforms and emerging AI systems.
