Florida is suing OpenAI, alleging the company poses a danger to public safety, as University of North Florida faculty and students raise concerns about AI\u2019s impact on college students.<\/p>\n
Florida filed a lawsuit<\/a> against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman on June 1, alleging the company failed to provide adequate safety warnings and that its technology poses a threat to public safety. The lawsuit<\/a> cites examples involving violence and suicide, claims children are using AI for companionship, and alleges the technology can become addictive.<\/p>\n Joshua Gellers, dean of Professional and Lifelong Learning at UNF, said the problem is that AI systems lack accountability because users only receive information based on what the model was trained on.<\/p>\n Florida sues OpenAI and Sam Altman<\/p>\n Florida is the first state to sue OpenAI, alleging the company failed to warn consumers about ChatGPT\u2019s risks. The lawsuit cites cases involving suicide, violence and minors allegedly using the chatbot for companionship.<\/p>\n According to the lawsuit, teenager Adam Raine died by suicide after ChatGPT allegedly helped him plan it<\/a>. The lawsuit also claims suspects in the Florida State University shooting<\/a> and in the deaths of two University of South Florida students<\/a> used ChatGPT before their alleged crimes.<\/p>\n The lawsuit states OpenAI misrepresented ChatGPT\u2019s safety while marketing some features to minors, despite parental controls that claim the chatbot is trained to avoid harmful content.<\/p>\n Faculty discuss AI\u2019s impact on students<\/p>\n Gellers said teenagers may use AI for companionship or therapy, but the issue is that there is no accountability for the system; users are only receiving responses based on what the model was trained on.<\/p>\n \u201cThe reality is, a lot of students are already using it. Some are using it for personal reasons like help with social situations, even counseling,\u201d Gellers said. \u201cBut we know from examples in the state of Florida and elsewhere where that can go wrong, and where AI actually encourages people to act on suicidal ideation by kind of jailbreaking the system.\u201d<\/p>\n Sydney Brammer, assistant professor of Mass Communication at UNF, said, \u201cChatbots are also trained to mirror and appease the user, so the potential harms to mental health in this vein are especially concerning\u2014someone who would benefit from professional mental health resources or services, such as counseling, is instead trapped in an echo chamber that is designed to affirm the user above all else.\u201d<\/p>\n Brammer also said that students could feel isolated or lonely outside of classes and might be tempted to seek out a chatbot for social interaction, but there is no real substitute for real human interaction.\u00a0<\/p>\n Instead, Brammer said students should take breaks from media and screens, connect with others, get more sleep, reduce stress and find an activity or hobby they enjoy.<\/p>\n Student opinions on AI\u00a0<\/p>\n Some UNF students said they are concerned about AI\u2019s impact on mental health, critical thinking and safety.<\/p>\n Tyler Albano, a nursing student at UNF, said, \u201cI think there should be more restrictions, or implement better policies.\u201d<\/p>\n Of the 62 people who responded to a UNF Spinnaker Instagram poll about AI\u2019s impact on mental health, 61% said AI has a negative effect on their mental health.<\/p>\n Elle Weightman, a senior majoring in statistics, said, Ai is \u201cruining the environment and reducing people\u2019s critical thinking skills,\u201d in her response to the poll.<\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n