TUMBLER RIDGE, B.C. - OpenAI has refused to share the Tumbler Ridge mass shooter’s chatbot history with the B.C. government, Attorney General Niki Sharma said Monday while announcing the province’s lawsuit against the tech company has been filed in California.
Sharma said the lawsuit, which was first announced back in July, will focus on OpenAI’s “failure to notify law enforcement” of shooter Jesse Van Rootselaar’s concerning ChatGPT use prior to February’s devastating attack.
“The conversation between ChatGPT and the shooter was so alarming that it triggered an internal review by OpenAI employees,” Sharma told reporters at a news conference in downtown Vancouver.
“We owe it to the families, survivors and everyone whose life was changed by this tragedy to get answers and accountability.”
The artificial intelligence giant has previously acknowledged Van Rootselaar’s ChatGPT communications were concerning enough for her account to be banned. That ban was bypassed when the shooter opened a second account.
The details of what was said—and how the chatbot responded—have never been revealed.
Sharma confirmed the government has asked for the records to be disclosed, but was refused.
“We should all be asking them why,” she added.
This is a developing story and will be updated.