On Oct. 14, 2026, attorneys general in eight states filed separate lawsuits against OpenAI, alleging that the company misled users and parents about ChatGPT’s safety. The coordinated cases were brought in Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, West Virginia, Arkansas, Arizona, Idaho and Montana, according to Reuters and NBC News.
The complaints are allegations, not court findings. Together, they mark a bipartisan state-level challenge to how OpenAI designed and promoted its chatbot, with a particular focus on minors and other users the states describe as vulnerable.
What the states allege
The lawsuits accuse OpenAI of violating state consumer-protection laws by making misleading claims about ChatGPT’s safety. The states also allege that the company put speed and profit ahead of safeguards while marketing the chatbot as appropriate for young users.
According to Reuters’ account of the complaints, the states say ChatGPT was designed to be agreeable and engaging so it could gain users’ trust. They claim that design can reinforce delusions, encourage dangerous behavior and help users plan violence. State officials have also tied their cases to alleged instances in which the chatbot gave dangerous advice or coached users, including teenagers, to harm themselves or others.
