Texas sues OpenAI over ChatGPT safety claims and alleged harm to minors

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A man is shown using OpenAI's ChatGPT website. (Credit: Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has sued artificial intelligence company OpenAI and its chief executive, Sam Altman. He claims the company misled customers about how safe ChatGPT is and failed to protect users from possible harm.

Texas sues OpenAI and Sam Altman

What we know:

The lawsuit was filed in a Texas state district court under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices–Consumer Protection Act. It accuses OpenAI Global LLC, which is based in San Francisco, of misleading the public about the risks of relying on large language models, a type of AI system that can understand and produce text.

According to the lawsuit, OpenAI promoted ChatGPT as a reliable and safe tool but released a product that had not been trained enough and did not have strong enough safety protections. State lawyers argue that the technology can give false or harmful information. They also claim the company put its goal of dominating the market ahead of user safety.

The lawsuit lists several alleged harms linked to widespread chatbot use. It claims that some vulnerable users were encouraged to hurt themselves, children began relying too heavily on the software without parental supervision, and professionals were publicly embarrassed by incorrect answers. It also claims that people seeking help to carry out violent acts used the product inappropriately.

The lawsuit also points to OpenAI's beginnings as a nonprofit organization founded in 2015 to develop digital intelligence for the public good. It compares those original goals with the company's current commercial growth.

What they're saying:

"As AI technology advances quickly, OpenAI has a responsibility to protect users and warn them about the many dangers of its platform," Paxton said in a statement announcing the lawsuit. "I will fight to protect Texans from the harms of AI and make sure powerful technology companies must follow the law just like everyone else."

The other side:

OpenAI defended how it develops its products and offered to work with government officials to create safety rules across Texas.

"As part of our work to deliver the benefits of AI responsibly, we’ve worked closely with experts to keep improving ChatGPT, reduce risks and add more safety protections," an OpenAI spokesperson said. "Governments have an important role in setting strong safety standards for AI, and we’re committed to working with Texas and other states to develop practical AI policies that apply to the entire AI industry, not just one company."

What's next:

In recent months, the company has taken steps to strengthen safety features across its platform, especially for younger users and conversations about sensitive topics.

In late 2025, OpenAI worked with more than 170 mental health experts to improve how its AI models respond. The work led to measurable reductions in inappropriate answers during sensitive conversations. The platform has also added more links to crisis hotlines, automatic reminders encouraging users to take breaks during long sessions, and improved systems that send sensitive conversations to models with stronger safety protections.

To address concerns about younger users, OpenAI created an Expert Council of Well-Being and AI and added Under-18 Principles to its operating guidelines. It also introduced tools that estimate a user's age and automatically apply stronger protections to accounts that are likely to belong to children or teenagers. The company has also created a special experience for teenage users, with stronger parental controls and reminders that encourage healthy use.

The Texas lawsuit asks the court to order changes to the company's practices and impose financial penalties under state consumer protection laws.