Texas Sues OpenAI and Sam Altman, Seeks ChatGPT Ban for Minors

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman on Oct. 23, asking a court to restrict ChatGPT access for minors and require court-approved review of future models’ safety guardrails.

The case was filed in Collin County district court. The petition names six OpenAI entities and Altman as defendants and alleges violations of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices–Consumer Protection Act (DTPA) and the Securing Children Online through Parental Empowerment (SCOPE) Act. The claims have not been decided by a court.

Texas alleges ChatGPT can generate harmful or inaccurate responses, raise risks involving self-harm and violence, encourage compulsive use and collect children’s data without parental oversight. Paxton said, “With the rapid advancement of AI technology, OpenAI has the responsibility to protect users and warn them of the many dangers of its platform.”

The petition asks the court to bar OpenAI from offering ChatGPT to minors in Texas. It also seeks to prevent new AI models from reaching users in the state unless an independent evaluator approved by the court reviews and approves their safety guardrails.

Texas seeks more than $1 million in monetary relief, disgorgement of assets and civil penalties of up to $10,000 per DTPA violation, including violations that also constitute SCOPE Act violations.

The filing follows Florida’s June lawsuit against OpenAI and Altman and separate lawsuits brought by eight states on Oct. 14.