OpenAI's ChatGPT was allegedly used by Jesse Van Rootselaar to plan Canada's deadliest school shooting in nearly four decades, which occurred on February 10, 2026. This incident has led to a civil lawsuit filed by the British Columbia government against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman in September, accusing them of failing to prevent the incident. Earlier this week, on October 14, US authorities charged a Washington State man with conspiring in the attack. Experts highlight the 'extraordinarily difficult' challenge for AI companies in balancing public safety by reporting potential threats with protecting user privacy, especially given the lack of clear standards and the difficulty in discerning real intent from hypothetical discussions.