Florida AG Drafts Bill to Criminally Charge AI Firms After Shootings

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced plans to introduce legislation that would impose criminal sanctions on artificial intelligence companies when their programs are used to commit crimes, according to Florida Politics.

The proposed bill would hold corporations accountable if users deploy their AI tools to harm others, marking an aggressive regulatory approach that goes beyond civil liability. Uthmeier outlined the framework at a news conference Tuesday, stating he wants "criminal sanctions for these companies where their chatbots break the law."

Why it matters

This represents one of the first attempts by a state attorney general to pursue criminal—not just civil—accountability for AI companies based on user actions. If enacted, the legislation could establish a precedent that fundamentally reshapes how tech companies approach content moderation and safety guardrails, potentially forcing them to choose between limiting functionality or facing prosecution.

Background on Florida's AI investigations

The legislative push follows Uthmeier's June civil lawsuit against OpenAI and its founder Sam Altman, which itself came after a criminal probe into the company. The investigation was triggered when the suspect in an April 2025 mass shooting at Florida State University admitted to using ChatGPT to plan the attack that killed two people and injured six others.

"AI is not a silent tool. It answers the questions, picks the hour, chooses the place, and walks someone through the plan," Uthmeier said. "When a product participates in a crime like that, the company that built it is not a bystander. A chatbot cannot be charged, but the corporation that designed it, trained it, and collected the subscription can."

Uthmeier also cited a March double murder of two University of South Florida students in the Tampa area, where the suspect allegedly used ChatGPT before committing the crime.

Scope of the proposed legislation

While the final language is still being drafted, Uthmeier outlined several key provisions the bill would include:

• Criminal liability for corporations whose AI programs are used in crimes
• Evaluation of AI systems based on their "words and actions"
• Coverage of any company with practical control over AI programming and design
• Heavy financial penalties on companies
• Mandatory restitution payments to victims

Mark Glass, Commissioner of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, added that AI has been increasingly used in child predator and sexual abuse cases. "AI-generated child sexual assault material can delay investigations, create new pathways for exploitation, and can devastate real children and families," Glass said.

Legal and practical challenges ahead

The proposal faces significant legal questions, including whether criminal liability can attach to a company for user-generated content under Section 230 protections, and how prosecutors would prove the necessary criminal intent or negligence standards. The legislation would also need to define what constitutes "practical control" over AI systems and establish clear causation standards between the tool and the criminal act.

The details were first reported by Florida Politics, with the bill expected to be submitted to legislative leaders in Tallahassee once drafting is complete.