Eight states sue OpenAI over ChatGPT safety; OpenAI defends its safeguards
On October 14, eight states announced separate lawsuits accusing OpenAI of misrepresenting ChatGPT's safety. OpenAI points to age-specific protections and says it will keep adding safeguards.
Case period:
Published by The Dispute Index editorial teamPublished Updated
Overview
Iowa's petition in the Iowa District Court for Polk County brings two counts under the Iowa Consumer Fraud Act, one over ChatGPT's marketing and design and one over OpenAI's testing of autonomous AI agents. The other states cite their own statutes. Nebraska's suit also invokes its Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act and Age-Appropriate Online Design Code Act, and Arkansas adds common-law claims, so the suits do not share identical legal claims.
The states describe risks from overly agreeable responses and unhealthy relationships with the chatbot. OpenAI's response points to parental controls, break reminders and age-appropriate model protections.
Timeline
1 timeline entry on this page. Dates: October 14, 2026
October 2026
Attorneys general announce coordinated OpenAI lawsuits
Claim
Attorneys general from Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska and West Virginia announced their states' lawsuits against OpenAI at a joint news conference. Arkansas, Arizona, Idaho and Montana announced separate suits the same day.
[01]Brenna Bird
Iowa's allegations and requested enforcement under its Consumer Fraud Act; the states filed separate suits.
Iowa announces consumer-fraud lawsuit against OpenAI · Brenna BirdBrenna Bird statement and lawsuit announcement[02]NBC News
OpenAI defends age-specific protections and continuing safety work in response to the lawsuits.
OpenAI response to eight-state safety lawsuits · NBC NewsDrew Pusateri statement reported by Angela Yang and Joe Kottke of NBC News[03]Attorney General McCuskey Announces Lawsuit against OpenAI for Deceiving West Virginians about the Safety of ChatGPT
West Virginia's announcement that it filed suit against OpenAI under state consumer-protection laws.
[04]Attorney General Hilgers Announces Lawsuit against OpenAI for Deceiving Nebraskans about the Safety of ChatGPT
Nebraska's announcement of its suit against OpenAI under three state statutes.
Claims
Claims separate what was said from what is contested. Follow each source for the original wording and context.
What's disputed
Disputed claim
OpenAI's representations about ChatGPT safety mislead consumers and violate Iowa's Consumer Fraud Act.
What is disputed
OpenAI's ChatGPT safety representations and safeguards challenged in the eight state suits.
Sources (2)
- Iowa announces consumer-fraud lawsuit against OpenAI · Brenna BirdBrenna Bird statement and lawsuit announcement
- State of Iowa ex rel. Bird v. OpenAI Global, LLC, et al., petitionPetition, Iowa District Court for Polk County, Counts I and II
Disputed claim
OpenAI
OpenAI has built industry-leading age-specific protections into ChatGPT and will keep building safeguards.
What is disputed
OpenAI's ChatGPT safety representations and safeguards challenged in the eight state suits.
Sources (1)
- OpenAI response to eight-state safety lawsuits · NBC NewsDrew Pusateri statement reported by Angela Yang and Joe Kottke of NBC News
Response record
Responses
Choose one response filter, or select All responses to see the full record.
2 responses. Newest first.
Brenna BirdIowa attorney generalDirectly involved Before this statement
Bird announced Iowa's suit at a news conference with the attorneys general of Kansas, Nebraska and West Virginia. Her quoted statement began by saying OpenAI is hurting kids and lying to Iowans.
"OpenAI claims ChatGPT is safe while it’s giving dangerous medical advice, encouraging people to hurt others, and coaching people to commit suicide—all while pretending to be their fake friend. My lawsuit is about protecting our kids and holding OpenAI accountable under our state law."
CondemnedResponding to: OpenAI's representations about ChatGPT safety mislead consumers and violate Iowa's Consumer Fraud Act.
Full statement and sources
Bird says OpenAI calls ChatGPT safe while the chatbot gives dangerous advice and coaches users toward self-harm, and that her suit seeks to hold the company accountable under Iowa law.
After the statement
The release says Iowa is suing to compel OpenAI to comply with the Iowa Consumer Fraud Act and to stop what it calls dangerous activities.
Iowa announces consumer-fraud lawsuit against OpenAI · Brenna BirdBrenna Bird statement and lawsuit announcementWhy this label?
Bird condemns OpenAI's safety representations and the chatbot's alleged harms, the conduct under scrutiny, and seeks enforcement against the company.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
OpenAICompany statement through spokesperson Drew PusateriDirectly involvedBefore this statement
Spokesperson Drew Pusateri wrote in a statement reported by NBC News, in response to the lawsuits, that OpenAI has built protections for younger users.
"built industry-leading age-specific protections into our product that many other AI products lack."
Defended or excusedResponding to: OpenAI has built industry-leading age-specific protections into ChatGPT and will keep building safeguards.
Full statement and sources
OpenAI points to age-specific protections and says it continues to improve safeguards.
After the statement
Pusateri added that no system can be perfect and that OpenAI will keep working with experts and adding safeguards such as parental controls and break reminders.
OpenAI response to eight-state safety lawsuits · NBC NewsDrew Pusateri statement reported by Angela Yang and Joe Kottke of NBC NewsWhy this label?
OpenAI defends the adequacy of safeguards challenged by the states, while acknowledging that no system is perfect.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Sources
(5)
Official statement
Iowa announces consumer-fraud lawsuit against OpenAI
Relevant passage: Brenna Bird statement and lawsuit announcement
About this source
Iowa's allegations and requested enforcement under its Consumer Fraud Act; the states filed separate suits.
- Published
- Accessed
Official statement
Attorney General Hilgers Announces Lawsuit against OpenAI for Deceiving Nebraskans about the Safety of ChatGPT
Relevant passage: News release
About this source
Nebraska's announcement of its suit against OpenAI under three state statutes.
- Author
- Nebraska Attorney General's Office
- Published
- Accessed
Official statement
Attorney General McCuskey Announces Lawsuit against OpenAI for Deceiving West Virginians about the Safety of ChatGPT
Relevant passage: News release
About this source
West Virginia's announcement that it filed suit against OpenAI under state consumer-protection laws.
- Author
- West Virginia Attorney General's Office
- Published
- Accessed
Original text
State of Iowa ex rel. Bird v. OpenAI Global, LLC, et al., petition
Relevant passage: Petition, Iowa District Court for Polk County, Counts I and II
About this source
Iowa's petition against OpenAI, dated October 14, 2026, alleging violations of the Iowa Consumer Fraud Act.
- Author
- Office of the Iowa Attorney General
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
OpenAI response to eight-state safety lawsuits
Relevant passage: Drew Pusateri statement reported by Angela Yang and Joe Kottke of NBC News
About this source
OpenAI defends age-specific protections and continuing safety work in response to the lawsuits.
- Author
- Angela Yang and Joe Kottke
- Published
- Accessed
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- Publisher
- The Dispute Index
- Title
- Eight states sue OpenAI over ChatGPT safety; OpenAI defends its safeguards
- First published
- Last updated
- Permalink
- https://disputeindex.com/cases/eight-states-openai-chatgpt-safety-consumer-protection
The Dispute Index. "Eight states sue OpenAI over ChatGPT safety; OpenAI defends its safeguards". First published: 2026-10-15. Last updated: 2026-10-15. https://disputeindex.com/cases/eight-states-openai-chatgpt-safety-consumer-protection