LEE COUNTY, Fla. (WINK) — A Bonita Springs woman was arrested after investigators say she made threats to shoot up the Lee County Sheriff’s Office while using an Anthropic artificial intelligence platform. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office identified the woman as Carli Michelle Heller.

According to the arrest report, a user identified as Carli made a statement on Sept. 26 saying she was going to “shoot up” the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators say the same user made another statement the following day saying she had gotten a new gun. 

The arrest report says Anthropic’s AI platform uses safety and security measures to monitor for key phrases and potentially threatening content. Investigators wrote that because of the severity of the statements, the information was escalated to a human review team, which then reported the statements to law enforcement. 

Sheriff Carmine Marceno told WINK News that Heller later said she uses AI like a “diary.” Deputies identified Heller and went to her Bonita Springs home and she was detained without incident before an LCSO intelligence detective took over the investigation.  Heller is charged with making a written threat of violence under Florida law. 

Sheriff Carmine Marceno said in a statement that artificial intelligence can be a useful tool but can also be misused.

“Artificial intelligence is a powerful tool, and like any technology, it can be misused,” Marceno said. “When someone uses AI to make or facilitate a threat, we have to take that threat seriously.”

Marceno also said users should understand they are “never truly anonymous,” specifically when using AI chatrooms and searches.

“AI may be changing the way threats are created, but our commitment to protecting the people of Lee County has not changed,” Marceno said.

Anthropic’s published Usage Policy says its Safeguards Team uses detection and monitoring to enforce its rules. The company’s policy prohibits using its products to facilitate or promote acts of violence or intimidation.

Anthropic also states in its published government request policy that user information may be disclosed to law enforcement in limited emergency situations involving danger of death or serious physical injury.

RELATED: Man arrested after deputies say he posted AI-generated image depicting Lee County sheriff being shot

WINK News reached out to Anthropic for comment and for more information about how its safeguards handle threats and when information may be shared with law enforcement.

Ian Marlow, CEO of FITECH, told WINK News that the conversational nature of AI can lead users to believe an interaction is more private than it actually is.

“Something that feels that it is conversational in nature doesn’t immediately feel like, ‘Oh, this is something that is being recorded,’ because they’re just having a conversation,” Marlow said.

Dr. Chrissann Ruehle, an assistant professor of AI and management at Florida Gulf Coast University, said people may turn to AI because it can feel nonjudgmental.

“There’s also a sense of, if I interact with a machine, the machine isn’t going to judge me,” Ruehle said.

Ruehle said users should still be cautious about treating an AI platform like a private diary.

“AI is not your best friend,” Ruehle said. “We need to keep in mind this is a technology.”

Retired FBI Special Agent Richard Kolko told WINK News that law enforcement and courts are still navigating how to handle threats involving artificial intelligence.

“This is all new stuff into the world and courts are still figuring it out,” Kolko said.

Heller has a court date set for November.