OpenAI is once again in legal trouble over the Tumbler Ridge Shooting case. According to Reuters, British Columbia has sued OpenAI alleging that the deadly school shooting could have been prevented if the tech giant had informed local police about the shooter’s use of ChatGPT.
This lawsuit has been filed in federal court in San Francisco and names OpenAI as well as CEO Sam Altman as defendants. British Columbia is seeking damages for the costs linked to the February shooting, including the rebuilding of the school and mental health support. Moreover, it is also urging the court to order changes to how OpenAI deals with ChatGPT conversations that indicate a possible risk of violence.
Nine People Killed In Tumbler Ridge Shooting
On February 10, nine people had died in Tumble Ridge, British Columbia, most of them were children. As per police, 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar first shot her mother and stepbrother at home and then attacked her former school. An educational assistant and five students between the ages of 12 and 13 were killed in the school attack. Van Rootselaar later committed sucide.
This lawsuit claims that OpenAI’s safety team had flagged Van Rootselaar’s ChatGPT conversations because of discussions involving gun violence. However, the company did not inform the police. According to the claims, members of OpenAI’s safety team recommended contacting police, but senior company executives, including Altman, decided against doing so.
The lawsuit cites OpenAI whistleblowers who spoke to The Wall Street Journal after the shooting. OpenAI later deactivated the account, but the lawsuit says Van Rootselaar was able to create another account and continue using ChatGPT while planning the attack.
More Lawsuits Filed Against OpenAI
The British Columbia case follows more than 30 lawsuits filed in California by families of victims and others affected by the Tumbler Ridge shooting. Those cases also accuse OpenAI of missing an opportunity to intervene before the attack. Notably, the latest lawsuit is part of a wider series of legal cases involving OpenAI and claims about the safety of ChatGPT.
In June, Florida became the first US state to sue OpenAI over alleged safety risks linked to ChatGPT. The lawsuit accused the company of misrepresenting the safety of its platform and claimed that ChatGPT had provided information to school shooters, offered guidance related to self-harm and contributed to problematic use among young people.
