OpenAI Is Facing Investigation From A Group Of State Attorneys General
OpenAI received a subpoena from state attorneys general seeking records on its AI products, data handling and user safety. The company says it will engage constructively.
Intelligence analysis by GPT-5.4 Mini
A coalition of state attorneys general is probing OpenAI and has asked for documents on advertising, engagement, retention, data handling, health information, and protections for minors and seniors. The company says it takes the concerns seriously and will work with the offices involved.
OpenAI is being asked tough questions by state officials, like a teacher checking a company’s homework. The officials want to know how its chatbot treats people’s data, kids, older adults, and whether it can push people in risky directions.
Analysis
What regulators want
OpenAI is facing an investigation from a coalition of state attorneys general, according to the Wall Street Journal. The company received a subpoena on Friday, June 12, seeking information and documents about its activities and how its products affect users.
Based on the subpoena the Journal viewed, the attorneys general are asking about several specific areas: advertising, user engagement and retention, and how OpenAI handles user data and health information. They also want documentation tied to minor and senior users, the company’s deep learning models, its policies, and concerns about model “sycophancy,” or systems that mirror and reinforce a user’s views too readily.
OpenAI’s response
OpenAI said in a statement that AI is a new and powerful technology and that it works every day to bring its benefits to people responsibly. The company said it takes the concerns raised by state attorneys general seriously and intends to engage constructively with their offices.
The broader backdrop
The article says it is not clear what triggered the investigation, but state AG scrutiny of AI companies has been building for some time. Last year, 44 state attorneys general sent a letter to companies including OpenAI asking them to protect children from harmful chatbot interactions. In April, Florida’s attorney general opened a criminal investigation into OpenAI after the suspect in the 2025 Florida State University mass shooting reportedly used ChatGPT.
The story also notes a wrongful death lawsuit accusing OpenAI of failing to add enough safeguards for a user who discussed suicidal thoughts with ChatGPT before dying by suicide. Separately, OpenAI filed paperwork with the SEC just days ago as it moves toward a possible public listing, though it has not set timing or pricing.
Key points
- A coalition of state attorneys general is investigating OpenAI.
- The subpoena asks for records on ads, engagement, retention, data, health information, and user safety.
- The inquiry also covers minors, seniors, model behavior, policies, and sycophancy.
- OpenAI said it will engage constructively with the attorneys general.
- The scrutiny comes amid broader concerns about AI chatbots and user harm.
If the review goes well, OpenAI could use it to show that it is taking safety and privacy concerns seriously. Clearer rules and better safeguards could also help reassure users and regulators as the company moves toward going public.
The investigation could lead to more pressure on OpenAI over how its products affect users, especially vulnerable groups. It may also add legal and regulatory risk at a sensitive moment, since the company has just filed paperwork to go public.
