Legal challenges mount for Sam Altman's OpenAI after New York attorney general issues subpoenas: Here's why

Published 13 June 2026 · tech

Troubles continue to mount for artificial intelligence (AI) startup OpenAI, since a coalition of US state attorneys general on Friday (local time) opened a sweeping

Troubles continue to mount for artificial intelligence (AI) startup OpenAI, since a coalition of US state attorneys general on Friday (local time) opened a sweeping investigation over a wide range of its activities. The ChatGPT maker was served with a subpoena on Friday, seeking documents related to its wide range of activities and the impact on users, including, user engagement and retention, and the handling of consumer and health data, Reuters reported, citing a source. The subpoena, which was sent by the New York attorney general, has also sought information on activities related to minors and seniors, deep learning models, and internal company policies. The investigation by the New York attorney general marks the latest legal challenge for IPO-bound OpenAI, which Florida is also suing for allegedly misrepresenting the safety of its AI chatbot. Also Read | OpenAI considers drastic price cuts, anticipating war for users with Anthropic An OpenAI spokesperson noted, "AI is a new and powerful technology, and we work every day to safely bring its benefits to people in a responsible way. We take the concerns raised by state attorneys general seriously and intend to engage constructively with their offices." Why is Florida suing OpenAI?

Earlier this month, Florida's Attorney General James Uthmeier sued OpenAI and its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sam Altman, accusing the firm of putting profit over safety. The Florida lawsuit, the first by a US state, claims the platform has harmed children by providing information to school shooters, offering guidance on self-harm, and addicting young users. In the complaint filed, Uthmeier said, "The rise of OpenAI is attributable to a web of deceit and the exploitation of users (including Floridians), leveraging their data and safety to boost OpenAI’s market value at unacceptable costs." Also Read | Florida sues OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, claiming company concealed serious risks of ChatGPT Additionally, the company has also been accused of fuelling violence and pushing a product it very well knew could impact users negatively. The lawsuit came over a month after the Florida attorney general issued subpoenas to the company, seeking information on how it handles users' threats of harm to themselves or others. The lawsuit accuses OpenAI of four counts of deceptive and unfair trade practices, two counts of negligence, two counts of violating product liability laws, and one count each of fraudulent misrepresentation and creating a public nuisance.