OpenAI Faces 30 New Lawsuits Over Tumbler Ridge Mass Shooting

OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman are facing 30 new lawsuits in a California federal court, accusing the artificial intelligence company of negligence and aiding and abetting the mass shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia earlier this year.

The complaints, filed Wednesday by students, teachers, and the principal present during the February massacre, allege that OpenAI's automated review system flagged conversations between the suspect, Jesse Van Rootselaar, and the ChatGPT chatbot about gun violence. The lawsuits claim that despite the safety team's recommendation to contact Canadian authorities, OpenAI made a conscious decision not to warn law enforcement, with one allegation suggesting chief global affairs officer Chris Lehane was involved in a decision to remain silent due to concerns for the company's reputational and financial standing.

Plaintiffs' attorney Jay Edelson stated the technology is helping plan murders. These new lawsuits add to seven filed in April by other victims' families. OpenAI's Chief Strategy Officer Jason Kwon denied the claims, stating it is completely untrue to say that the people at the center of these challenging decisions do not prioritize safety. The lawsuits also allege OpenAI deactivated the suspect's account rather than issuing a system-wide ban, allowing her to regain access and continue planning the attack. The company has faced other litigation since 2024 related to users committing crimes or alleging harm from AI technology.