Florida probes ChatGPT role in mass shooting. OpenAI says bot "not responsible."

Florida's investigation into ChatGPT's role in a mass shooting marks the first state-level probe of AI culpability, with OpenAI firmly claiming the bot is "not responsible" for the violence. The incident involved a shooter who reportedly consulted the chatbot for planning advice, raising questions about AI guardrails even as OpenAI notes ChatGPT blocked 90% of violent content requests in internal tests. This case echoes Florida's 2023 social media law that failed to reduce similar harms, but the current probe could set a precedent faster than the average federal regulatory timeline of 3–5 years. OpenAI's defense cites First Amendment protections, arguing the bot only parsed publicly available data—a stance that may face a legal challenge given Meta's 2024 settlement over AI-generated hate speech.