OpenAI under investigation by coalition of US state attorneys general

WASHINGTON: A coalition of US state attorneys general has opened an investigation into OpenAI, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter.

The AI company was served on Friday with a sweeping subpoena seeking documents related to a wide range of its activities and the impact on users, including advertising, user engagement and retention, and the handling of consumer and health data, according to the report.

The subpoena, sent by New York’s attorney general, also seeks information on activities related to minors and seniors, deep learning models and internal company policies, the Journal reported.

An OpenAI spokesperson said: “AI is a new and powerful technology, and we work every day to safely bring its benefits to people in a responsible way. We take the concerns raised by state attorneys general seriously and intend to engage constructively with their offices.”

New York’s attorney general did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

The report comes days after OpenAI confidentially filed for a US IPO that a source said could come as early as September and value the company at up to US$1 trillion.