OpenAI CEO Sam Altman speaks to journalists after meeting with U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries at the Capitol in Washington, DC, June 3, 2026.
Brendan Smialowski AFP | Getty Images
A spokesperson told CNBC on Friday that OpenAI intends to “work constructively” with state attorneys general and take their concerns “seriously.”
The company’s statement came after the Wall Street Journal reported that a coalition of state attorneys general had launched an investigation into the artificial intelligence company. OpenAI reportedly received a subpoena seeking information about its approach to advertising, consumer and health data, underage and elderly users and models, and other activities.
“AI is a new and powerful technology, and we work every day to bring its benefits to people responsibly and safely,” the spokesperson said.
OpenAI exploded into the mainstream in 2022 after the launch of its chatbot ChatGPT, which now supports over 1 billion monthly active users.
The company has grown to become one of the most valuable privately held companies on the planet, reaching a valuation of $850 billion earlier this year. OpenAI is currently preparing for an IPO, which could happen as early as this year, and announced on Monday that it had confidentially filed a prospectus with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
But as the company has grown rapidly, so have its legal challenges over the alleged harm caused by its technology.
Florida Attorney General James Usmeyer sued OpenAI earlier this month, alleging that the company knowingly released a dangerous product that could harm users, namely ChatGPT. Usmayer said at a news conference at the time that he expected other states to take similar action.
The company is being sued by seven families of victims of the Tumbler Ridge shooting in Canada in February. The families claim that the attackers used ChatGPT to plan the attack, but that the company did nothing to stop it.
OpenAI also faces a number of wrongful death lawsuits alleging that ChatGPT drove users into harmful delusions and, in some cases, suicide.
“Today’s ChatGPT includes experiences that are more protective of minors and people facing difficult situations, including safeguards that direct them to real-world resources and trusted human contacts,” an OpenAI spokesperson said Friday.
If you are having suicidal thoughts or are in distress, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (988) for support and assistance from a trained counselor.
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