Canadian government demands safety changes from OpenAI

"The message that we delivered, in no uncertain terms, was that we have ‌an expectation that there are going to ⁠be changes implemented, and if they're not forthcoming very quickly, the government is going to be making changes."

"Those reports were deeply disturbing, reports saying that OpenAI did not contact law enforcement in a timely manner. We will have a sit-down meeting to have an explanation of their safety protocols and when they escalate and their thresholds of escalation to police, so we have a better understanding of what's happening and what they do."

"A recent report by The Wall Street Journal claimed that in 2025, some OpenAI employees flagged the account of the alleged shooter, Jesse Van Rootselaar, as containing potential warnings of committing real-world violence and called for leadership to notify law enforcement."

Canadian government officials met with OpenAI leadership to discuss safety protocols surrounding ChatGPT following a mass shooting in British Columbia. The primary concern was that OpenAI failed to notify authorities when banning an account belonging to an alleged shooter. Internal reports indicate OpenAI employees flagged the account for potential real-world violence warnings, but leadership determined the activity did not meet criteria for police notification. Justice Minister Sean Fraser warned that if OpenAI does not implement changes quickly, the government will impose its own regulations. Canada has previously attempted unsuccessfully to pass online harms legislation. OpenAI faces multiple wrongful death lawsuits related to ChatGPT's influence on user behavior.

Read at Engadget