Attorneys general from a handful of states turned out in Des Moines for a news conference alleging that OpenAI, and its popular chatbot ChatGPT, are harming children.

Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers was among the top legal officials announcing their individual state lawsuits against the artificial intelligence company.

They allege that ChatGPT is hurting children by exposing them to thoughts about suicide and drug use.

"If you have a product that is not safe for children, one: you should not sell it to children and two: you should not tell parents and you should not tell family members it's safe for children and that is precisely what OpenAI has done here," said Hilgers.

Nebraska is one of eight states that have now filed lawsuits under the Consumer Protection Act or Consumer Fraud Act.

The top legal officials want OpenAI to change its chatbot model. The company may also be forced to pay civil penalties if found liable, much like Meta recently.

"We want them to stop making false statements to any of their users. They need to make sure everything they say is true, and if they are allowing children to have access to ChatGPT, which I have serious concerns about, parents must be fully informed of all the risks," said Brenna Bird, Iowa Attorney General.

In the past, OpenAI has defended itself by insisting it has implemented child safety guardrails and is committed to mitigating harm to children.

However, Bird called the company an "egregious offender" when it comes to such safety and vows to hold the company accountable.

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