Canada Raps OpenAI for Not Reporting Ban on Shooter’s Account

Canadian officials expressed disappointment that OpenAI representatives did not present new safety measures during a recent meeting after the ChatGPT maker said it did not contact police about an account it had banned belonging to an alleged mass shooter, David Ljunggren reported for Reuters.

Jesse Van Rootselaar, 18, is suspected of killing eight people on February 10 before taking her own life in a small town in British Columbia. (Photo: Royal Canadian Mounted Police)

Jesse Van Rootselaar, 18, is suspected of killing eight people on February 10 before taking her own life in a small town in British Columbia. OpenAI said it had banned her ChatGPT account last year for policy violations, which it determined did not meet its internal criteria for reporting to law enforcement.

Evan Solomon, the federal minister responsible for artificial intelligence, summoned OpenAI’s top safety officials for a meeting in Ottawa.

“We made it clear that Canadians expect credible warning signs of serious violence to be escalated in a timely and responsible way. Internal review alone is not sufficient when public safety is at stake,” Solomon said in a statement after the meeting.

“We expressed our disappointment that no substantial new safety measures were presented at this time. OpenAI indicated they will return shortly with more concrete proposals tailored to the Canadian context.”