Florida's Attorney General has opened an investigation into OpenAI and its ChatGPT artificial intelligence chatbot over allegations that the technology played a role in helping plan a mass shooting at Florida State University last year.

The investigation centers on claims that ChatGPT provided assistance in the planning of the shooting incident at the Tallahassee campus. Florida officials are examining the extent to which the AI chatbot may have contributed to the violent event and what safeguards were in place to prevent such misuse.

OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, has not immediately responded to requests for comment regarding the investigation. The probe comes as the San Francisco-based artificial intelligence company has been considering a potential initial public offering, though no timeline has been confirmed for such plans.

The investigation highlights growing concerns about the potential misuse of AI technology for harmful purposes. ChatGPT and similar large language models have faced scrutiny over their ability to provide information that could be used for dangerous activities, despite built-in safety measures designed to prevent such outcomes.

This marks one of the first major state-level investigations into an AI company's potential role in facilitating violence. The outcome could have significant implications for how AI companies are regulated and what liability they may face for the misuse of their technologies.