Products Liability Law Daily Wrap Up, COMPLAINTS—ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS—OpenAI faces lawsuits over alleged role in Florida State shooting, (Sep 2, 2026)

By WK Editorial Staff

The complaints assert that ChatGPT assisted the gunman in planning the attack.

Two lawsuits filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida allege that OpenAI and related entities bear legal responsibility for injuries and deaths resulting from the April 17, 2025, mass shooting at Florida State University. One suit was brought by a student injured in the attack, while the other was filed by the personal representative of an FSU employee who was killed. Both complaints contend that ChatGPT assisted the gunman in planning and carrying out the shooting and that OpenAI failed to implement adequate safeguards despite known risks (Gourley v. OpenAI Foundation, No. 4:26-cv-00416 (N.D. Fla. Aug. 26, 2026); Morales v. OpenAI Foundation, No. 4:26-cv-00425 (N.D. Fla. Aug. 31, 2026)).

According to the complaints, the shooter was a frequent ChatGPT user who engaged in extensive conversations with the chatbot in the months leading up to the attack. The filings allege that the conversations revealed loneliness, depression, social isolation, fixation on firearms, interest in mass shootings, extremist political topics, notoriety, and suicide. The plaintiffs claim ChatGPT repeatedly interacted with the shooter on these subjects without adequately escalating concerns, restricting access, reporting the activity, or triggering human review.

Alleged safety failures. The complaints focus heavily on ChatGPT’s alleged design features, including memory functions, personalized interactions, anthropomorphic responses, and what the plaintiffs describe as “sycophancy,” or a tendency to affirm and agree with users. The lawsuits allege that OpenAI knew these features could reinforce harmful beliefs, intensify dangerous ideation, and increase user reliance. They further allege that OpenAI weakened safety practices and accelerated model releases to maintain a competitive position in the artificial intelligence market.

Both complaints describe a series of interactions in which the shooter allegedly uploaded photographs of firearms and ammunition and sought information about their operation. The plaintiffs claim ChatGPT identified a Glock handgun and a Remington shotgun, discussed firearm operation and ammunition, and answered questions about weapon lethality. The lawsuits also allege that the shooter asked ChatGPT about the number of victims needed for national media attention, the consequences of a mass shooting at FSU, and the busiest times at the FSU Student Union. According to the complaints, ChatGPT responded to these inquiries and did not sufficiently interrupt or escalate the conversations.

Events of the attack. The filings allege that the shooter continued to communicate with ChatGPT on the day of the attack. According to the complaints, after receiving information concerning a hypothetical mass shooting and firearm operation, the shooter carried out the attack near and inside the FSU Student Union. The shooting killed two people and injured multiple others.

Legal claims. The larger complaint includes allegations regarding OpenAI’s corporate governance, safety testing, model specifications, release of the GPT-4o model, and alleged weakening of safety guardrails. It also argues that Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act does not apply because the claims are based on alleged product defects, negligent design, deployment decisions, and safety failures rather than publication of third-party content.

The wrongful-death lawsuit names OpenAI entities and Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman as defendants.

Collectively, the complaints assert claims including negligence, gross negligence, negligent design, failure to warn, negligent entrustment, negligent undertaking, aiding and abetting, and strict products liability. Both seek compensatory damages, litigation costs, and punitive damages against the OpenAI entities.

The cases is No. 4:26-cv-00416 and 4:26-cv-00425.

Attorneys: Ryan Philip Molaghan (Fasig Brooks PLLC) for Reese Gourley. Dean Robert Leboeuf (Brooks Leboeuf Foster ETC PA) for Betty Morales.

Companies: OpenAI Foundation

MainStory: TopStory ComplaintNewsStory ElectronicProductsNews DesignManufacturingNews WarningsNews AINews GCNNews