ChatGPT developer sued over FSU shooting: "They planned this shooting together"

U.S. Lawsuit against OpenAI details ChatGPT's alleged role in FSU shooting: "They planned this shooting together" By Alex Sundby Alex Sundby Senior Editor Alex Sundby is a senior editor at CBSNews.com. In addition to editing content, Alex also covers breaking news, writing about crime and severe weather as well as everything from multistate lottery jackpots to the July Fourth hot dog eating contest. Read Full Bio Alex Sundby Updated on: May 11, 2026 / 12:33 PM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google The family of one of the victims in last year's deadly mass shooting at Florida State University accused ChatGPT developer OpenAI of enabling the suspect leading up to the attack.The suspect, 21-year-old Phoenix Ikner, has pleaded not guilty to murder and attempted murder charges in the 2025 shooting, which is expected to go to trial later this year. Florida's attorney general has also opened a criminal investigation into OpenAI over the shooting.Two people, Tiru Chabba and Robert Morales, were killed and five others were seriously injured in the shooting on FSU's main campus in Tallahassee. Chabba's family filed the lawsuit against OpenAI and the suspect in federal court Sunday.According to the lawsuit, ChatGPT helped the suspect allegedly plan the shooting over a period of months, including making suggestions on what weapons to use, where he should go on campus and when most people would be at risk."Ikner had multiple lengthy conversations with ChatGPT about his interests in Hitler, Nazis, fascism, national socialism, Christian nationalism and worse. They talked about multiple mass shootings and they planned this shooting together," attorney Bakari Sellers, who's representing Chabba's widow, Vandana Joshi, said in a statement. "Not once did anyone flag that as concerning. No one called the police or a psychiatrist or even Ikner's family because, to do so, would violate OpenAI's business model."OpenAI spokesperson Drew Pusateri told CBS News in a statement Monday that the...