Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador filed a lawsuit against OpenAI in Ada County, alleging the technology company deceived parents regarding the safety of its ChatGPT service for Idaho children. The legal action was initiated in the Idaho Fourth Judicial District Court.
Lawsuit Alleges Consumer Protection Violations
The complaint asserts that OpenAI violated the Idaho Consumer Protection Act, which prohibits false, deceptive, or misleading representations to consumers. Labrador’s office contends that the company’s actions put Idahoans at risk and failed to prioritize child safety over profit.
“The safety of Idaho children cannot be an afterthought to runaway profit or technological advancements,” Labrador said in announcing the filing.
OpenAI’s Market Position Under Scrutiny
OpenAI developed and released ChatGPT in 2022. The generative chatbot became the first of its kind to achieve widespread public use and currently commands nearly half of the AI chatbot marketplace in the United States.
The lawsuit seeks two primary outcomes: compelling OpenAI’s compliance with state consumer protection laws and ceasing activities that the attorney general alleges endanger Idaho residents. This filing joins a growing list of similar legal actions brought by multiple states based on consumer protection statutes.