The B.C. government is exploring legal action against OpenAI over its handling of threats made before the mass shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School.

Attorney General Niki Sharma says the Province has retained legal counsel in both British Columbia and California to examine all legal options.

The Province alleges OpenAI failed to notify law enforcement after violent threats made on its ChatGPT platform were flagged months before the February 10th shooting, which claimed the lives of 8 people and injured 27 others.

“Our thoughts remain with the families who lost loved ones, the people who were injured and the entire Tumbler Ridge community,” said Sharma.

“As the community continues to heal, our government remains focused on supporting those affected and pursuing accountability. When there are serious concerns that opportunities to prevent harm were missed, we have a responsibility to act. We owe that to the victims, their families and everyone whose life was changed by this tragedy.”

The California law firm was retained because OpenAI is headquartered in San Francisco.

The Province says any legal action it pursues would be separate from lawsuits already filed by several victims' families in the United States.

To learn more, visit Government of British Columbia.