The government of British Columbia has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, the developer of the artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT, alleging that the company’s failure to notify law enforcement contributed to a deadly school shooting in February. The suit was submitted to a federal court in San Francisco on Monday, identifying OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, as defendants.

The lawsuit centers on the tragic shooting at a school in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, where nine people, predominantly children, lost their lives. Authorities say the perpetrator, Jesse Van Rootselaar, used ChatGPT to assist in planning the attack.

According to the complaint, OpenAI’s internal safety team was aware of Van Rootselaar’s discussions related to gun violence within the ChatGPT platform but did not notify local police before the shooting occurred. The provincial government asserts that had the company alerted law enforcement in a timely manner, the attack might have been prevented.

The suit seeks financial damages intended to support recovery and relief efforts for the victims and the affected community. Additionally, it requests the court to order changes to OpenAI’s policies and practices governing the monitoring and reporting of conversations on its platform that indicate a risk of violence.

OpenAI has previously stated that it employs extensive safety measures and protocols to detect and mitigate harmful activity. The company’s approach has sparked debate over the balance between user privacy, free expression, and public safety obligations in AI moderation.

The case raises complex legal and ethical questions about the responsibilities of AI developers when users engage in conversations that may indicate plans for criminal acts. British Columbia’s lawsuit marks a significant step in holding technology firms accountable for the potential real-world consequences of the content generated or facilitated by their platforms.