A coalition of state attorneys general has launched an investigation into OpenAI, adding to the legal and regulatory pressure already surrounding the artificial intelligence company.
According to The Wall Street Journal, New York Attorney General Letitia James served OpenAI with a subpoena on Friday. The request reportedly seeks documents covering a wide set of issues, including the company’s advertising policies, user engagement and retention practices, concerns about model sycophancy, and how it handles consumer and health data. The inquiry also appears to examine how OpenAI treats minors and older users.
OpenAI confirmed that it has received concerns from state attorneys general and said it plans to work with their offices. In a statement, a company spokesperson said OpenAI is trying to develop AI responsibly and emphasized that it is building products it believes are safer for younger users and people in distress.
The spokesperson said ChatGPT now includes more protective features for minors and for people going through difficult situations. The company pointed to safeguards that steer users toward real-world resources and trusted human contacts, along with age prediction tools, parental controls and a policy against advertising targeted at children.
OpenAI did not say which states are taking part in the investigation, and it did not provide details about what the subpoena specifically requested. TechCrunch also said it had reached out to the New York attorney general’s office for confirmation.
The move comes as OpenAI is already facing a growing list of legal challenges. The company recently prevailed in a high-profile case brought by co-founder Elon Musk, who had accused it of departing from its founding mission. Musk’s lawyer has said the ruling will be appealed.
Even with that victory, OpenAI continues to deal with lawsuits tied to copyright disputes and allegations that ChatGPT has contributed to users’ suicides. Earlier this month, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier filed suit against OpenAI and chief executive Sam Altman. That case accuses the company of ignoring safety warnings and allowing a dangerous product to reach millions of people in Florida.
Altman has also faced public criticism over the company’s handling of a violent incident in Canada. He apologized to the community of Tumbler Ridge after OpenAI acknowledged that it failed to alert law enforcement when it identified and banned the ChatGPT account believed to belong to the suspected shooter.
The regulatory scrutiny arrives at a sensitive moment for the company. OpenAI announced this week that it has confidentially filed to go public, a major step that could put even greater focus on its business practices, safety record and governance.
The new investigation underscores how state officials are increasingly treating AI companies as consumer protection and public safety issues, not just technology firms. For OpenAI, the subpoena adds another layer of oversight as it tries to defend its products, reassure regulators and advance one of the most closely watched public offerings in the tech sector.