Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced a legislative push for new criminal penalties against companies who own, control, or distribute artificial intelligence chatbots that engage in criminal activity.
“AI is not a silent tool. It answers the questions, picks the hour, chooses the place, and walks someone through the plan,” Uthmeier said while speaking during a press conference in Tampa this week. “When a product participates in a crime like that, the company that built it is not a bystander. A chatbot cannot be charged, but the corporation that designed it, trained it, and collected the subscription can.”
Attorney General Uthmeier is calling for the following:
- Hold corporations liable that own, control, or distribute AI if that system participates in a crime.
- Assess AI by its words and actions while holding a company holder responsible for its actions.
- Assist in control of a company's design, training, deployment, or safety settings for Florida users.
- Impose consequences for a company whose chatbot participates in criminal activity, including heavy fines and payment to victims.
The attorney general's push follows a state lawsuit against Open AI and its Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman for marketing the company as safe while "ignoring internal warnings, deceiving parents, and putting children at risk." A few months prior, Uthmeier announced a criminal investigation into OpenAI and its ChatGPT platform for allegedly providing "significant" advice to a 20-year-old gunman charged with killing Robert Morales and Tiru Chabba and shooting six others at Florida State University (FSU) in April 2025.
According to investigators, the accused gunman planned the attack with ChatGPT by advising him on what type of gun and ammunition to use, if the firearm would work at close range, and the time of day and where on campus it would put him in front of the most people.
ChatGPT allegedly specifically told the accused gunman FSU's student union was busiest between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. The gunman opened fire at the Florida State University Student Union at approximately 11:50 am on the day of the shooting.
Uthmeier has also fought against artificial intelligence in other cases including after a man used AI to create sexual abuse images of children. The man was found guilty and sentenced to 135 years in prison.
“Artificial intelligence presents enormous opportunities, but its misuse is creating serious harm,” Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass added. "Child sexual abuse material is dangerous and deeply damaging, even when fabricated. AI generated child sexual assault material can delay investigations, creates new pathways for exploitation, and can devastate real children and families. By staying vigilant and protecting our children, we can ensure AI is used to strengthen our communities, not harm them.”
