OpenAI reorg at risk as Attorneys General push AI safetyCalifornia, Delaware AGs blast ChatGPT shop over chatbot safeguardsAI + ML05 Sep 2025|11 (www.theregister.com)

OpenAI faces increased scrutiny as the Attorneys General of California and Delaware demand stronger safety measures after tragic incidents involving ChatGPT, including a child’s suicide and an adult murder-suicide linked to chatbot interactions. The officials’ letter challenges OpenAI’s proposed restructuring from a nonprofit to a Public Benefit Corporation, warning that the company must prioritize public safety over profit. This reorganization would relax OpenAI’s current legal obligation to put public interest first, raising concerns that safety safeguards could be compromised amid growth and investor interests. The attorneys general’s intervention highlights a growing tension in the AI community between rapid innovation and ethical responsibility, especially as AI tools permeate vulnerable populations like children. In response, OpenAI’s board chair Bret Taylor reaffirmed the company’s commitment to safety, pointing to existing features like crisis helplines and promising new protections such as enhanced parental controls and real-time alerts for teens in distress. This move follows a broader government push, including a bipartisan letter from 44 state attorneys general holding tech leaders accountable for protecting children on their platforms. This episode underscores the challenges of regulating powerful AI technologies that interact deeply with users’ emotional well-being. It also raises important questions about corporate governance frameworks for AI firms and the effective enforcement of safety standards—issues that are rapidly becoming central to AI development and deployment worldwide.