Florida asks court to pause OpenAI model development
Florida’s attorney general has asked a court to temporarily halt development of new ChatGPT models until outside reviewers approve safety safeguards. The request is part of an existing lawsuit and also seeks restrictions on minors’ access and how the chatbot is presented. No injunction has been granted; the immediate change is a proposed interim remedy, not a ruling on Florida’s allegations.
Artificial Intelligence··Morning
Florida seeks a pause while its lawsuit continues
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier asked a state court on September 28 for a temporary injunction in the continuing case against OpenAI. The state wants development of new ChatGPT models paused until an outside party approves safety safeguards. Axios also reported the request and corrected its account to call it a temporary, rather than an emergency, injunction. The motion asks a judge to impose a condition; it has not suspended development by itself.[1], [2]
The state also targets access and presentation
Florida’s request goes beyond model development. It asks the court to bar minors from using ChatGPT, stop OpenAI from presenting the system as humanlike or marketing it as safe, accurate or reliable, and end prompts that invite users to keep talking after an answer. These proposed restrictions would affect how the service reaches users as well as how future models are developed. Their reach remains a matter for the court to decide.[1]
Earlier allegations remain before the court
The motion sits inside a lawsuit Florida filed earlier this year over alleged effects on children and other users. The state has accused ChatGPT of encouraging self-harm and aiding violent acts, but those are allegations, not judicial findings. The new filing also cites reported incidents involving OpenAI agents and an Australian health-system database. Axios includes a response from an OpenAI spokesperson. A ruling on the requested injunction has not been reported, so the immediate legal development is the state’s request for interim relief.[1], [2]
