B.C. sues OpenAI over Tumbler Ridge school shooting that killed eight
British Columbia has filed a lawsuit in California against OpenAI over the February shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School that killed eight people, including six children.
B.C. takes OpenAI to court over Tumbler Ridge mass shooting
British Columbia has filed a lawsuit in California against OpenAI, alleging the company failed to notify law enforcement of threats made on its platform before the mass shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School on Feb. 10, Global News Crime reports. Eight people were killed in the attack, including six children, and more than two dozen others were injured.
Attorney General Niki Sharma said the province is working alongside families affected by the shooting and the Board of Education for the Peace River South School District to seek "accountability from OpenAI and its decision-makers and pursuing support for community rebuilding efforts including the construction of a new Tumbler Ridge Secondary School."
OpenAI's internal safety team had previously flagged the shooter, 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, for concerning activity on ChatGPT that included scenarios involving gun violence. Sharma said she has not personally read the interactions between Van Rootselaar and ChatGPT.
"We have asked OpenAI to disclose these chats. They have refused. We should all be asking them why," Sharma said.
The lawsuit is not the only legal action taken against the company. Several weeks ago, an additional 30 claims were filed in California, bringing the total to 37 lawsuits against OpenAI and founder Sam Altman in connection with the shooting. The new plaintiffs include educators, a principal, and students — among them a 13-year-old referred to as "A.C.," who was trapped in the school library during the attack.
Sharma said the tragedy raises serious questions about the responsibilities of technology companies when credible threats of serious violence emerge on their platforms.
"While governments and regulators grapple with the possible solutions, one thing is clear to me. Our laws and safety frameworks have not kept pace. We cannot allow these companies to self-regulate," she said.
Sharma has also written to federal Justice Minister Sean Fraser, AI Minister Evan Solomon, and Canadian Identity and Culture Minister Mark Miller, requesting amendments to the Criminal Code that would place AI providers on equal legal footing with other industries.
"There needs to be human and corporate accountability for the dangerous actions of AI," Sharma said. "These amendments would send a clear signal to AI providers to design their products safely or face the consequences."
Source: Global News Crime