Will AI make US mass shootings worse? It already has, report says

Did a college student in Florida turn to ChatGPT for help not with homework but with planning a mass shooting that left two dead and five wounded?

He did, according to a new report citing court records about AI's dangers.

Former Florida State University student Phoenix Ikner’s inquired about the busiest time at the school’s student union, what ammunition would inflict the most damage and how to fire the guns he meant to use, according to court filings.

The OpenAI-powered chatbot’s responses included advising the 20–year-old that the Glock handgun he took from his stepmother was made to be fired quickly when under stress. It also suggested not to put his finger over the trigger until ready to fire, a lawsuit filed by the family of one of Ikner’s victims says.

Ikner’s case isn’t unique. According to a new report from Everytown for Gun Safety, a growing number of people are relying on artificial intelligence to plan and inspire acts of violence, from mass shootings to suicides.

"AI chatbots are now part of how Americans look for information and support, including in their darkest moments," Justin Wagner, Everytown’s senior vice president of law and policy, said in a statement shared…

Original source: https://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/