OpenAI Reports ChatGPT User Who Described Plan of Violence Against Ex-Girlfriend

A 25-year-old man from Florida was arrested and pleaded guilty after describing in detail on ChatGPT a plan to rape and kill his ex-girlfriend. OpenAI reported the situation to the FBI after detecting the dangerous activity in May of this year. According to court records, the accused Darren Zhou initially reported to the artificial intelligence about his recent breakup with a woman he had been in a relationship with for six months. Gradually, his messages evolved into explicit descriptions of rape, murder, and suicide, including threats such as "I will kill her before the end of the month. If I cannot have her, no one else will." The ex-girlfriend, 21 years old and a resident of Lakewood Beach, reported repeated behavior of control, excessive jealousy and possessiveness that motivated the end of the relationship. After the breakup, she was continuously harassed through calls, text messages and social media, including content of a threatening and sexual nature. When confronted by police, the accused had expanded his threats to include the ex-girlfriend's family. OpenAI provided records of two months of conversations to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office. The records showed patterns of repeated planning and rehearsal, not simply temporary emotional outbursts. In June, the accused faced charges of aggravated stalking, written death threats, and illegal use of a phone, with a maximum sentence of 25 years. After negotiations, he pleaded guilty on August 13, agreeing to a sentence of eight years probation with no felony conviction record.