Province of BC Sues OpenAI and Sam Altman over Tumbler Ridge School Shooting
3 hours ago
- British Columbia has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging that a school shooting in Tumbler Ridge could have been prevented if the company had warned law enforcement about the shooter's use of ChatGPT.
- The lawsuit, filed in San Francisco federal court, names OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman as defendants, seeking damages for recovery efforts and an order to change how the company handles violent threats.
- Nine people, mostly children, were killed in the February attack; the shooter, Jesse Van Rootselaar, was flagged by OpenAI's safety team but the company did not alert police.
- BC Attorney General Niki Sharma stated the community deserves answers and accountability, noting OpenAI failed to follow through on promised reforms despite engagement efforts.
- The province has incurred costs for a new school, mental health care, and other impacts, as the original school is being demolished.
- OpenAI expressed condolences but faces criticism for not taking meaningful accountability; the company claims it trains models to refuse violence-related requests and notifies law enforcement of credible threats.
- Additional lawsuits from victims' families and a previous suicide by the shooter highlight ongoing concerns about AI facilitating violence.