Seven families of mass massacre victims in British Columbia, Canada filed lawsuits against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman in a California court. In February, 18-year-old Jesse Van Ruchelaar opened fire at a school in Tabler Ridge, killing 8 people, of whom 6 children. OpenAI security team had identified months earlier the perpetrator's dangerous talks with ChatGPT about armed violence, but did not notify the authorities. The lawsuits accuse the company of negligence, arguing that it preferred to protect its reputation and valuation of $850 billion.
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Families of victims of the massacre in Canada accuse OpenAI of negligence and indifference in the perpetrator's dangerous interactions with ChatGPT.
Seven victims' families mass slaughter in British Columbia correspondent in Canada, they testified actions against OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, in a California court, accusing the company of negligence and indifference in the perpetrator's dangerous conversations with ChatGPT, which had been noted months before the attack.
18-year-old Jesse Van Ruchelaar opened fire at a secondary school in Tabler Ridge in British Columbia, February, killing 8 people, including 6 children.
According to reports, the activity of the perpetrator at ChatGPT had been detected by the OpenAI security team months before the attack, due to reports of armed violence. However, the company did not warn local authorities.
Sam Altman apologized to the victims' families, recognizing the company's failure to inform the police.
«I'm deeply sorry we didn't notify the authorities.», wrote Altman in an open letter published by local media Tumbler RidgeLines.
The new lawsuits filed in the California court accuse OpenAI and its leadership, including Altman, of negligence and support for the massacre, due to their failure to notify authorities of the suspect's activity at ChatGPT.
As it broadcasts BBC, the lawsuits argue that OpenAI had full knowledge of the perpetrator's dangerous conversations with ChatGPT, in which he described scenarios of armed violence, but still did not act.
The lawsuit states that OpenAI's senior leadership, in a decision influenced by the company's reputation and value, avoided alerting the police to protect the company's interests and valuation, which amounts to $850 billion.
«They decided that Tabler Ridge's children's safety was an acceptable risk.», emphasises the lawsuit.
OpenAI's apology and strengthening security measures
In response to the lawsuits, OpenAI reported that the company has «zero tolerance» the use of its tools to support acts of violence and to strengthen its security measures, including better assessments and escalation of the process to identify «possible threats of violence».
In addition, OpenAI posted a post on her blog, explaining how it responds to users who exhibit dangerous behaviour in ChatGPT.
The lawsuits, filed by a joint legal group from the US and Canada, will replace a previous lawsuit filed by the family of a surviving victim, 12-year-old Maya Gembala, who remains in a hospital after three shots.
Family lawyer Jay Edelson said that expects to file over 20 lawsuits on behalf of victims and the community of Tabler Ridge against OpenAI, requesting court proceedings with judges in any case.
OpenAI also faces a criminal investigation in Florida about the use of ChatGPT by a man accused of performing a massacre at Florida State University last year, which resulted in two dead and several injured.
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