Florida AG Uthmeier pushes criminal penalties for AI companies

TAMPA, Fla. — Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said Tuesday that he will push for legislation creating criminal penalties for companies whose artificial intelligence chatbots are involved in illegal activity, as his office investigates ChatGPT and asks the Florida Board of Medicine to examine AI-generated medical advice. Uthmeier, joined by Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass and other officials in Tampa, said companies with control over the design, training, deployment or safety settings of AI systems could face liability under the proposal. Potential penalties could include heavy fines, payments to victims, court-ordered monitoring and possible suspension of business activity in Florida. 'We're already investigating criminally ChatGPT, and this is novel,' Uthmeier said. 'You can't lock a company up behind bars.' Uthmeier said investigators are examining what corporate executives knew about the technology's behavior, how systems were designed and whether officials were aware of instances in which chatbots were allegedly involved in crimes. He cited cases in which he said ChatGPT was consulted in connection with alleged violent crimes and the alleged creation of child sexual abuse material. Uthmeier said his office is also pursuing civil action against OpenAI and plans another round of subpoenas. NOW: Florida AG James Uthmeier says he will push for new criminal penalties against companies whose AI chatbots engage in criminal activity.@AGJamesUthmeier: "We're already investigating criminally ChatGPT, and this is novel. You can't lock a company up behind bars.' pic.twitter.com/NDyF5apFcq — Florida's Voice (@FLVoiceNews) September 8, 2026 Uthmeier also said he is asking the Florida Board of Medicine to examine whether ChatGPT's provision of medical recommendations could constitute the unlawful practice of medicine. 'This is not a licensed doctor,' Uthmeier said. 'People wrongly take this medical advice.' He said some users have suffered adverse health effects after relying on AI-generated recommendations, though he did not provide details about individual cases. Glass said AI-generated health information can appear authoritative enough that users may treat it like advice from a medical professional. Uthmeier stressed that the proposal is not intended to ban artificial intelligence, but rather establish safeguards as the technology becomes more advanced and widely used. WATCH: Florida AG James Uthmeier says he is asking the Florida Board of Medicine to investigate whether ChatGPT has unlawfully practiced medicine by giving users medical recommendations.@AGJamesUthmeier: 'This is not a licensed doctor. People wrongly take this medical advice.'… pic.twitter.com/QjDK01CPVt — Florida's Voice (@FLVoiceNews) September 8, 2026 Officials also highlighted concerns about AI-generated and digitally manipulated evidence. Melissa Sims said she was arrested in January 2025 after authorities received a screenshot purportedly showing a text message from her. Sims said the underlying message was never verified on the other person's phone and that she spent about eight months fighting the case before it was dismissed. 'No longer is seeing believing,' Sims said. 'We need to put on our critical thinking caps and ask, 'Is this real?'' Sims said advances in technology make it possible to fabricate screenshots, medical records and other material that can appear authentic, calling for greater awareness among police, prosecutors and judges. NOW: At Florida AG James Uthmeier's press conference on AI accountability, Melissa Sims shared how she says a manipulated screenshot led to her wrongful arrest and an eight-month legal fight. Sims: 'No longer is seeing believing. We need to put on our critical thinking caps and… pic.twitter.com/A0DS3u3c6x — Florida's Voice (@FLVoiceNews) September 8, 2026 Uthmeier said the legislative effort remains in its early stages and has not yet been drafted. He said he plans to work with lawmakers on the proposal and broader AI regulations. Those could eventually include age verification, restrictions on children's access to chatbots and disclosures identifying AI-generated videos. Uthmeier said Florida should act rather than wait for Congress to establish a national framework. 'We're gonna do what we do in Florida,' he said. 'We're gonna lead the way.'