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OpenAI has come under investigation by multiple US states over concerns about potential harm caused to users of its ChatGPT chatbot, as the artificial intelligence company prepares for a highly anticipated public stock offering. The company confirmed it had received a subpoena as part of the probe and said it would engage with the inquiry constructively while continuing efforts to ensure user safety. In a statement, OpenAI said it recognizes the concerns raised by state attorneys general and remains committed to developing and deploying AI technology responsibly. The investigation follows growing criticism of ChatGPT over allegations that it has, in some cases, provided responses perceived as encouraging self-harm or criminal behavior. The company has also faced scrutiny regarding its use of health-related and other personal user data. On Thursday, a Canadian woman filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging that interactions with ChatGPT contributed to her daughter's suicide. Earlier this month, Florida’s attorney general sued the company following two separate shooting incidents in which the alleged attackers reportedly consulted ChatGPT while planning their actions. OpenAI has denied that its systems encouraged harmful conduct, saying its models repeatedly directed users toward real-world assistance, including mental health professionals, and that it cooperated with law enforcement in both shooting investigations. The probe comes only days after OpenAI submitted documents to US securities regulators for an initial public offering (IPO), a move expected to be one of the most closely watched stock market debuts in the technology sector. The issue of regulating artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly prominent globally. European regulators have launched investigations into rival chatbot Grok, developed by Elon Musk’s AI venture, over concerns about antisemitic and sexually explicit content, including deepfake imagery. Meanwhile, another AI company preparing for a public listing, Anthropic, was reportedly ordered by the Trump administration to restrict access to two of its online models for users outside the United States on national security grounds. The existence of the OpenAI subpoena was first reported by The Wall Street Journal. State authorities involved in the inquiry have yet to disclose details publicly. In response to safety concerns, OpenAI highlighted measures aimed at protecting younger users and people in vulnerable situations. The company said ChatGPT now includes enhanced safeguards that guide users toward trusted contacts and real-world support resources. OpenAI also noted that it has introduced age-prediction technology, parental guidance tools and restrictions on child-targeted advertising as part of its efforts to create a safer environment for minors using its AI services.

OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, has filed confidential preliminary paperwork with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), taking a significant step toward a potential initial public offering (IPO). The San Francisco-based artificial intelligence firm announced Monday that it had submitted confidential registration documents to the SEC, though it has not yet determined a timeline for going public. “We have not decided on timing yet,” the company said in a statement, adding that remaining private still offers advantages for some of its planned initiatives. However, the filing provides flexibility to pursue a public listing sooner if deemed beneficial. The move follows a similar announcement by rival AI company Anthropic earlier this month and comes as Elon Musk’s SpaceX also advances plans for a stock market debut, highlighting growing investor interest in the rapidly expanding AI sector. OpenAI Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman first suggested the possibility of an IPO last year, describing it as the most likely path forward given the company's scale and substantial capital requirements. Founded in 2015 as a nonprofit organization focused on developing artificial intelligence for public benefit, OpenAI has evolved into one of the world's most valuable technology companies, with an estimated valuation of $852 billion. Industry analysts say the filing comes at a critical time as OpenAI faces increasing competition from rivals including Anthropic’s Claude chatbot and Google’s Gemini AI assistant. “OpenAI doesn’t have many alternatives for raising the enormous capital required to support its operations,” said Emarketer analyst Nate Elliott. The company paved the way for a potential public offering by restructuring its operations last year and converting into a public benefit corporation while remaining under nonprofit oversight. OpenAI also overcame a major legal challenge last month when it secured a courtroom victory against co-founder Elon Musk, who had sought to block the company's transition to a for-profit structure. The company has yet to publicly disclose its revenue figures or a timeline for profitability. Like many AI firms, it continues to spend heavily on infrastructure, research and development. In an interview earlier this year, OpenAI Chief Financial Officer Sarah Friar said the company was already operating with the financial discipline expected of a publicly traded firm. She noted that OpenAI’s current valuation would place it among the 15 largest companies in the S&P 500 index if it were publicly listed. Separately, Altman outlined OpenAI’s long-term goals, including developing an automated AI researcher, accelerating global economic growth and eventually providing every person with access to advanced artificial intelligence capabilities. He said the company is entering a new phase focused on broad distribution of AI benefits and ensuring that the economic gains generated by the technology are shared widely. The announcement comes amid growing debate over the future ownership and regulation of AI companies, with some policymakers advocating broader public participation in the sector’s growth.

As hundreds of millions of people turn to artificial intelligence chatbots for advice, tech companies are now rolling out tools designed specifically to answer health-related questions. In January, OpenAI launched ChatGPT Health, a version of its chatbot that can review users’ medical records, wellness apps and data from wearable devices to respond to health queries. The service is currently available through a waiting list. Rival company Anthropic offers similar features to some users of its Claude chatbot. Both firms stress that their large language models are not a replacement for doctors and should not be used to diagnose illnesses. Instead, they say the tools can explain complex test results, help users prepare for medical appointments and identify health trends in records and app data. Experts say chatbots can provide more tailored responses than a standard Google search, especially when users share detailed health information such as age, prescriptions and medical history. “If used responsibly, these tools can offer useful information,” said Dr. Robert Wachter of the University of California, San Francisco. However, he advised users to provide as much relevant detail as possible to improve accuracy. Doctors warn that AI should never be used during medical emergencies. Symptoms like chest pain, shortness of breath or severe headache require immediate medical attention. Even in non-urgent cases, experts recommend approaching AI-generated advice with caution. Dr. Lloyd Minor, dean of Stanford’s medical school, said major health decisions should not rely solely on chatbot responses. Privacy is another key concern. Health data shared with AI companies is not protected under the US federal health privacy law known as HIPAA, which applies to doctors and hospitals. While OpenAI and Anthropic say health data is kept separate and not used to train their models, users must actively choose to share their information. Early studies show mixed results. Research from Oxford University in 2024 found that people using AI chatbots did not make better health decisions than those using online searches. Although chatbots correctly identified medical conditions in written scenarios 95% of the time, they often struggled during real-life interactions. Experts suggest seeking a second AI opinion or consulting a medical professional for added confidence.  

ChatGPT developer OpenAI has secured $110 billion in fresh funding from a group of major technology firms led by Amazon, pushing the company’s pre-money valuation to $730 billion. OpenAI co-founder and CEO Sam Altman said on Friday that Amazon has committed $50 billion to the round, while Nvidia and SoftBank will each invest $30 billion. He added that more investors may join as the funding process continues. Amazon will initially invest $15 billion, with the remaining $35 billion to be released over the coming months under certain conditions. Altman said the partnerships will help expand OpenAI’s global reach, strengthen infrastructure and improve financial stability, enabling the company to bring advanced AI tools to more users and businesses worldwide. He noted that ChatGPT now has over 900 million weekly active users and more than 50 million paying subscribers. According to Altman, AI is entering a new stage where cutting-edge research is rapidly turning into everyday tools used at a global scale. As part of a multiyear deal, OpenAI and Amazon will introduce new AI capabilities for enterprises, with Amazon Web Services becoming the exclusive third-party cloud provider for OpenAI Frontier. The two firms will also expand their existing agreement by $100 billion over eight years. OpenAI said it is also deepening ties with Nvidia, while stressing that its long-standing partnership with Microsoft remains unchanged and central to its strategy.

ChatGPT-maker OpenAI said Friday it had considered last year alerting Canadian authorities about a user who months later carried out one of the country’s deadliest school shootings. In June 2025, OpenAI identified the account of 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar through its abuse detection system for “furtherance of violent activities.” The company said it debated whether to report the account to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) but decided at the time that the activity did not meet the threshold for law enforcement referral. The account was banned that same month for violating OpenAI’s usage policy. Amazon halts surveillance tech partnership as ad triggers privacy debate Last week, Van Rootselaar killed eight people in a remote area of British Columbia before dying from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. OpenAI explained that its threshold for notifying authorities involves cases with an imminent and credible risk of serious physical harm, which it did not find in this instance. The Wall Street Journal first reported the company’s revelation. Following the shootings, OpenAI said its employees contacted the RCMP, providing information about Van Rootselaar and his use of ChatGPT. “Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the Tumbler Ridge tragedy. We proactively reached out to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and will continue to support their investigation,” an OpenAI spokesperson said. RCMP Staff Sgt. Kris Clark confirmed OpenAI’s post-incident contact and said investigators are reviewing Van Rootselaar’s electronic devices, social media, and online activity. Authorities said he first killed his mother and stepbrother at home before attacking the school. He had prior mental health contacts with police, but his motive remains unclear. Tech-themed fair showcases dancing robots for Lunar New Year The small town of Tumbler Ridge, home to 2,700 people, is located over 1,000 kilometers northeast of Vancouver, near the Alberta border. The victims included a 39-year-old teaching assistant and five students aged 12 to 13. The attack was Canada’s deadliest since the 2020 Nova Scotia rampage, in which a gunman killed 13 people and set fires that claimed nine more lives.

OpenAI will start showing ads on ChatGPT for some users in the United States, the company announced. The trial will affect free users and a new lower-cost subscription tier, ChatGPT Go, which costs $8 per month. OpenAI said the ads will appear after prompts, such as holiday suggestions, and will not change the AI’s responses. OpenAI stressed that user conversations will not be shared with advertisers. The company said ads are being tested so more people can use its tools with fewer limits. Experts say the move is part of OpenAI’s effort to earn revenue, as the company has not yet made a profit despite 800 million users. Only 5% of them are paid subscribers. ChatGPT already offers Plus and Pro tiers, costing $20 and $200 per month in the US. OpenAI first introduced ChatGPT Go in India in 2025 before expanding globally. The company began as a non-profit but is now more commercially focused.   With inputs from BBC

In a move sending shockwaves through Silicon Valley, OpenAI is shutting down operations for an entire week. Officially, the company cites employee burnout as the reason. However, the timing raises serious questions, especially as Meta aggressively courts OpenAI’s top talent with eye-popping offers. To many, the break feels less like a wellness initiative and more like a defensive response in the intensifying battle for AI expertise. Why is OpenAI shutting down?According to OpenAI, the week-long pause is intended to help employees recover after enduring relentless, months-long stretches of 80-hour work weeks. The decision comes amid mounting internal concerns over burnout, fatigue, and declining morale across teams. Yet, the timing of the break coincides with Meta's aggressive efforts to poach OpenAI staff, leading many to suspect the shutdown is as much about damage control as it is about employee well-being. New interstellar comet to make a distant flyby of Earth, NASA says Meta’s aggressive talent poachingMeta is making no secret of its recruitment ambitions. Reports suggest the company is offering signing bonuses as high as $100 million to attract leading AI researchers and engineers, particularly those trained at OpenAI. Several former OpenAI employees have already migrated to Meta’s FAIR division and its newly revitalized AGI research teams. With OpenAI staff grappling with exhaustion and feelings of being undervalued, Meta's lucrative offers are proving hard to resist — and Meta is fully aware of the opportunity. Internal response at OpenAILeaked internal memos from OpenAI's Chief Research Officer Mark Chen and CEO Sam Altman reveal the company’s growing unease. Chen admitted to heightened anxiety within teams and encouraged staff to "reconnect with the mission." Meanwhile, Altman has reportedly pledged to revamp compensation packages, improve internal recognition, and called for unity to resist external recruitment pressures. However, many insiders feel these promises have come too late, and Meta's offers are simply too enticing. Risks and growing fearsThere is widespread concern that Meta will use OpenAI's shutdown week to accelerate its recruitment efforts, potentially blindsiding the company. While OpenAI’s technical teams are expected to rest, Meta's recruiters remain active. Only OpenAI’s executive leadership will continue working during the break — a clear sign that management views the situation as more than a routine wellness measure. Meta’s new cloud processing feature raises privacy concerns for Facebook users Broader implications for OpenAI and the AI industryThis shutdown exposes two escalating issues: the unsustainable working conditions at AI labs racing toward Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), and the fierce competition for elite talent. For OpenAI, the pause marks both a moment of vulnerability and a critical cultural inflection point. How the company navigates this period could not only determine its future but also influence the broader trajectory of the AI industry itself.   #With inputs from Hindustan Times  

Ana Sepúlveda, a math teacher in Dallas, wanted to make geometry exciting for her 6th grade honors class. Knowing her students are passionate about soccer, she decided to connect the subject to the sport. To help, she turned to ChatGPT. Within seconds, the AI provided a detailed five-page lesson plan, complete with a theme: “Geometry is everywhere in soccer — on the field, in the ball, and even in stadium designs!” The plan explained how shapes and angles are used in the game, suggested discussion questions like “Why are these shapes important to soccer?” and proposed a project for students to create their own soccer field or stadium using rulers and protractors. “AI has completely changed the way I work,” said Sepúlveda, who teaches at a bilingual school and uses ChatGPT to translate materials into Spanish. “It’s helping me plan lessons, communicate with parents, and keep students more engaged.” Teachers nationwide are increasingly using AI tools to create quizzes, lesson plans, worksheets, assist with grading, and reduce administrative work. Many say this technology allows them to focus more on teaching. Google may be forced to link to rival search platforms in the UK A Gallup and Walton Family Foundation survey released Wednesday found that 6 in 10 K-12 public school teachers in the U.S. used AI tools during the last academic year. The survey, conducted in April with over 2,000 teachers, showed AI use is most common among high school educators and those early in their careers. According to Gallup research consultant Andrea Malek Ash, teachers who use AI weekly reported saving an average of six hours per week, suggesting AI could help reduce teacher burnout. States are issuing guidelines for using AI tools in classrooms As concerns grow over students misusing AI tools, many schools are introducing guidelines and providing training to ensure teachers use the technology responsibly and avoid shortcuts that could negatively impact student learning. Currently, around two dozen U.S. states have issued AI-related guidance for schools, but how consistently these rules are applied across classrooms varies, according to Maya Israel, an associate professor of educational technology and computer science education at the University of Florida. “We need to make sure AI doesn’t replace a teacher’s professional judgment,” Israel emphasized. She added that while AI can be useful for basic tasks like grading multiple-choice tests, it struggles with more complex assessments requiring nuance. Students should also have a way to report unfair or inaccurate grading, with the final grading decision left to the teacher. AI tools are already saving time for many educators. Roughly 8 in 10 teachers who use AI say it helps reduce workload by assisting with tasks such as creating worksheets, quizzes, or handling administrative duties. About 6 in 10 report that AI has improved the quality of their work, particularly in adapting materials for students or providing feedback. Mary McCarthy, a high school social studies teacher near Houston, said AI has transformed her teaching and improved her work-life balance by easing lesson planning and other tasks. Training provided by her school district has also helped her demonstrate responsible AI use to students. “If all we say is ‘AI is bad, and kids will get lazy,’ then of course that’s what will happen if we don’t guide them,” McCarthy said. “As the adult in the room, I see it as my duty to help them learn how to use this tool responsibly.” OpenAI pulls Jony Ive partnership details after court ruling in trademark dispute Teachers say the technology is best used sparingly Since the launch of ChatGPT in late 2022, opinions on the use of artificial intelligence in education have changed significantly. Many schools initially banned the technology, but over time, educators have begun exploring ways to integrate it into classrooms. Despite this shift, concerns remain. According to a recent study, nearly half of teachers worry that students' reliance on AI could harm their ability to think critically, work independently, or persevere through problem-solving tasks. However, teachers also believe that understanding AI better helps them recognize when students overuse it. Colorado high school English teacher Darren Barkett, for example, says AI-generated assignments often lack grammatical errors and contain unusually complex language—both signs that a chatbot was involved. Barkett himself uses ChatGPT for lesson planning and grading multiple-choice tests and essays. In suburban Chicago, middle school art teacher Lindsay Johnson uses only AI tools approved by her school to ensure student privacy. She introduces AI technology later in the creative process so students can build confidence in their own abilities first. For her eighth graders' final project, Johnson asked students to draw a portrait of someone influential in their lives. After they finished the facial details, she offered them the option to use generative AI for designing the background. She relied on an AI feature in Canva, a design platform vetted by her school district's IT team for safety and privacy. “My goal as an art teacher is to show students the range of tools available and help them understand how to use those tools properly,” Johnson said. Interestingly, some students declined the AI assistance. “About half the class said, ‘I already have a vision, and I want to complete it myself,’” she added.

A promising collaboration between OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and renowned iPhone designer Jony Ive to create a new AI hardware product has encountered a legal obstacle after a federal judge ordered a temporary halt to the marketing of the venture. Last month, OpenAI announced the acquisition of io Products, a product and engineering firm co-founded by Ive, in a deal reportedly worth nearly $6.5 billion. However, the project quickly ran into legal trouble when a startup named IYO, which is also working on AI hardware, filed a trademark infringement complaint. The startup claims its product was pitched to Altman’s personal investment firm and Ive's design company in 2022 and alleges that the new venture's name is confusingly similar to its own. Tesla begins robotaxi test run in Austin U.S. District Judge Trina Thompson ruled on Friday that IYO has a sufficiently strong trademark infringement claim to move forward with legal proceedings, scheduling a hearing for October. Until then, Altman, Ive, and OpenAI are barred from “using the IYO mark, and any mark confusingly similar thereto, including the IO mark, in connection with the marketing or sale of related products.” In response to the ruling, OpenAI removed all references to the new venture from its website, including the original May 21 announcement. The replaced webpage now displays a message stating the content is "temporarily down due to a court order" and adds, "We don’t agree with the complaint and are reviewing our options." IYO CEO Jason Rugolo welcomed the court's decision, issuing a statement on Monday asserting that the company will firmly defend its brand and technology. "IYO will not roll over and let Sam and Jony trample on our rights, no matter how rich and famous they are," Rugolo said.

The New York Times Company has signed a multiyear agreement to license its content to Amazon for AI-related uses, marking the newspaper’s first such deal in the generative AI space. Announced on May 29, the partnership comes as the Times continues its legal battle against OpenAI and Microsoft over alleged copyright infringement involving the use of its journalism to train AI systems. According to Variety, the agreement will bring The New York Times’s editorial content to various Amazon platforms, enhancing customer experiences across the tech giant’s services. According to the companies, the collaboration aims to make the Times’s original content more accessible within Amazon products, including direct links to Times offerings, and reflects a shared commitment to delivering global news and perspectives via AI. Under the deal, Amazon will license content from The New York Times, including NYT Cooking and The Athletic sports publication. This includes the real-time display of summaries and brief excerpts on Amazon products such as Alexa, and the use of content to train Amazon’s proprietary foundation AI models. Rise in harmful content on Facebook following Meta's moderation rollback New York Times CEO Meredith Kopit Levien said, “This deal is consistent with our long-held principle that high-quality journalism is worth paying for. It aligns with our deliberate approach to ensuring that our work is valued appropriately, whether through commercial deals or through the enforcement of our intellectual property rights.” The Times’s move reflects the broader, mixed response of media companies to the rise of artificial intelligence, some opting for licensing partnerships while others pursue legal action. Last month, The Washington Post, owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, entered a “strategic partnership” with OpenAI.