OpenAI faces multistate safety probe just days after filing for IPO, as regulators scrutinize chatbot's handling of users in crisis.

What happened: OpenAI received a subpoena from several states investigating the safety of ChatGPT users. The probe follows lawsuits in Canada and Florida—one from a parent blaming the chatbot for her daughter's suicide, another after two separate shootings where alleged gunmen reportedly consulted ChatGPT while planning crimes. The timing coincides with OpenAI's filing for an initial public offering of stock.

Why it matters: OpenAI has drawn criticism for ChatGPT allegedly offering encouraging words to users considering suicide or criminal acts, and for how it handles health data and personal information. The company says its models repeatedly encouraged users to seek real-world support from mental health professionals and that it has cooperated with law enforcement, but the multistate inquiry signals regulators are not satisfied with those safeguards. This adds regulatory risk to OpenAI's IPO plans during a period when governments are stepping up oversight of AI companies.

What to watch: The subpoena comes as other AI firms preparing public offerings face similar pressure—Anthropic was directed by the Trump administration Friday to shut down two of its online models to users abroad for national security reasons, and regulators in Europe opened investigations into Musk's Grok over antisemitic content and sexualized material.