PYMNTS reports on how Florida officials are using litigation and proposed rules to oversee artificial intelligence and large technology platforms, citing reporting by Streamline.
In April, the state opened a criminal investigation after reviewing communications between ChatGPT and the suspected gunman in the fatal 2025 shooting at Florida State University. In June, Florida filed what Streamline describes as the first state civil lawsuit against OpenAI and Chief Executive Sam Altman, alleging the company knowingly released an unsafe product that facilitates self-harm and violence. Those allegations remain claims, not findings of liability.
In September, Attorney General James Uthmeier sought a temporary injunction that would bar OpenAI from developing new models without stringent safety safeguards. OpenAI has said it supports working with states on pragmatic policies and says its platform is not responsible for users' criminal acts.
The Florida angle
The actions come from Florida's own officials. Uthmeier has also sought restrictions on children's access to Meta platforms and sued Discord over alleged failures to protect children from predators.
A 2024 Florida law bars social media accounts for children younger than 14 and requires parental consent for certain older minors. Industry groups first secured a preliminary injunction against it, and that ruling was later reversed in Florida's favor.
Not every proposal has advanced. House Speaker Daniel Perez blocked Gov. Ron DeSantis' proposed AI Bill of Rights after it passed the Senate.