OpenAI Accused of Taking Minors’ Data Without Parental Consent

OpenAI‘s ChatGPT unlawfully took sensitive data from millions of child users who signed up for the AI service without getting parental consent, according to a new lawsuit filed Tuesday.

The complaint in San Francisco federal court contains broad allegations that OpenAI designed ChatGPT to manipulate children into trusting the chatbot and divulging highly personal information and sensitive health data.

“It then used that priceless trove of children’s information to train large language models, build detailed profiles of children, and enrich itself,” the complaint said, which was filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of California. “All of this was illegal.”

The suit seeks certification of a nationwide class action of users who were minors when they used ChatGPT.

It also contains an unusual request that all children whose data has been used to train the company’s AI models be given a proportionate amount of OpenAI equity or an equivalent in cash. The company’s current valuation is up to $1.4 trillion.

“OpenAI has touted its desire to share with the public some of the vast wealth created by its AI models,” the complaint said. “This lawsuit provides OpenAI a chance to do so.”