{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://foushee.house.gov/media/press-releases/reps-valerie-foushee-mike-thompson-gun-violence-prevention-task-force-press-ai-executives-on-chatbot-safety", "Reps. Valerie Foushee, Mike Thompson, Gun Violence Prevention Task Force Press AI Executives on Chatbot Safety", "2026-06-04", "2026", "2026-06", "Democrat", "House", "NC", "Valerie P. Foushee", "F000477", "foushee.house.gov", "foushee", "https://foushee.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC (June 4, 2026) \u2014 Today, Congresswoman Valerie Foushee (NC-04), Congressman Mike Thompson (CA-04), Chairman of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, and members of the task force sent a letter to OpenAI and Google DeepMind urging the companies to address the risks posed by online chatbots and requesting information on the steps they are taking to protect consumers and public safety.\n\n\u201cGiven gun violence is the leading cause of death among children and teens, we urge you to acknowledge the serious risks your AI systems may be exacerbating and to take immediate action to address them,\u201d the lawmakers wrote. \u201cWe are particularly alarmed by reports that individuals have consulted your AI chatbots regarding carrying out criminal acts, committing suicide, or confided thoughts incompatible with the safety and welfare of themselves or others.\u201d\n\n\u201cIn these interactions, chatbots reinforced, rather than dissuaded, real-world harm, including mass shootings, wrongful deaths, and suicide,\u201d the lawmakers continued. \u201cThe language generated by these chatbots has undoubtably led to serious harm. By providing information and strategies to shooters, they have contributed to preventable loss of life.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs chatbots become more pertinent to society and individuals\u2019 lives, it is time to address the risks of chatbots providing hazardous information and AI-induced psychosis,\u201d the lawmakers concluded. \u201cWhile we continue to hope that current efforts and future models ensure user safety, we must request a staff-level congressional briefing on these matters, along with written responses.\u201d\n\nThe letter follows reports and legal filings alleging that AI chatbots were used in connection with violent and harmful acts in British Columbia, at Florida State University, and at Miami International Airport. This week, Florida\u2019s State Attorney General filed the first lawsuit by a state against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, alleging that the company\u2019s chatbot failed to adequately protect users.\n\nThe letter demands that OpenAI and Google DeepMind provide written responses regarding:\n\nWhether the companies, their subsidiaries, affiliated entities, or predecessor entities have been subject to any state or federal investigation, regulatory inquiry, enforcement action, fine, penalty, civil judgment, settlement agreement, or consent decree related to allegations of physical harm, mental or emotional harm, wrongful death, homicide, suicide, or facilitation of violence.\n\nWhat user data the companies collect from minors, how that data is used to train models, and how a user\u2019s age affects chatbot behavior.\n\nWhat safeguards the companies tested before releasing products to minors or users with varying mental-health statuses.\n\nWhat policies are in place when users discuss harming themselves or others, or request information about deadly weapons, including whether the companies notify law enforcement or mental-health organizations when a user shares plans to harm themselves or others.\n\nThe letter was signed by Representatives Valerie Foushee (NC-04), Mike Thompson (CA-04), Gabe Amo (RI-01), Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Don Beyer (VA-08), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Judy Chu (CA-28), Angie Craig (MN-02), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Danny Davis (IL-07), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Chris Deluzio (PA-17), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Hank Johnson (GA-04), Robin Kelly (IL-02), Tim Kennedy (NY-26), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), Kelly Morrison (MN-03), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Deborah Ross (NC-02), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Kim Schrier (WA-08), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Jill Tokuda (HI-02), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Marc Veasey (TX-33), and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25).", 1, "2026-06-05T06:35:23Z", "2026-06-05T06:36:42Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://foushee.house.gov/media/press-releases/reps-valerie-foushee-mike-thompson-gun-violence-prevention-task-force-press-ai-executives-on-chatbot-safety"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8362689986824989, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}