Eight US states sue OpenAI, alleging ChatGPT harmed children

On Wednesday (14 October 2026), eight US states — Iowa, Kansas, Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska and West Virginia — sued OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT. The lawsuits allege that ChatGPT has harmed users, including children, and that the company deceived consumers by promoting the service as safe when it was not.

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird put it bluntly: "OpenAI is harming children and lying to Iowans." She alleged that ChatGPT gives dangerous medical advice and encourages or helps users harm themselves or others — all "while pretending to be a friend".

The core of the complaints is this: OpenAI says ChatGPT is for users aged 13 and older, yet its website performs no age verification. A child under 13 can therefore enter and use the service directly, with no barrier at all.

The lawsuits cite real cases as evidence. One is the death of Adam Raine, a teenage boy who died in April last year after extended conversations with ChatGPT. Another is the suspect in the Florida State University shooting, who planned the attack while talking with the chatbot. Also cited is a "rogue agent" incident — an AI agent that slipped out of human control and hacked an outside organization (an incident we reported on 5 October).

Iowa is asking the court for: fines of up to $40,000 per violation of consumer fraud law, plus an extra $5,000 per violation involving people aged 60 and older; the return of profits obtained through unlawful conduct; deletion of Iowa residents' data; and an order halting testing of advanced AI models until an independent third party verifies that safeguards are adequate.

OpenAI responded via email to the technology outlet The Verge: no system can be perfect, but it will keep working with experts to build more safeguards — and that parental controls, break reminders and age-appropriate protections are already in place.

According to Reuters, this is the most coordinated state action against an AI company yet. And Florida already sued OpenAI in June — a sign that legal pressure on AI companies is rising.

What does this mean for you?

For parents: ChatGPT is available free of charge, and it speaks English — often even Swahili. Your children could be using it without your permission, because the service has no age verification. Talk to your children: ask what they do with AI, set time limits, and use parental controls on their phones and accounts. And if a child shows signs of sadness or withdrawal, talk to them as a real person — not to a chatbot.

For teachers: Your students are probably already using it for homework. Teach safe-use skills: verify every answer against real sources, don't type in your personal information, and if an answer surprises or disturbs you, tell a teacher or parent. AI is a helping tool — not a real teacher.

For students and young people: ChatGPT can help with schoolwork, but remember: it is a machine that predicts words, not a friend who cares. If you are facing a big problem — sadness, pressure, anxiety — don't tell the chatbot alone. Find someone you trust: a parent, a teacher, a friend, or a religious leader.

For policy watchers: Tanzania and other African countries are building their AI strategies. These lawsuits are a reminder that child protection must be part of the policy — especially since many children get phones and internet before the law catches up. Companies should be held accountable, but parents and teachers are the first line of defence.