ChatGPT Detected Canada Mass Shooting Plot in Advance but Did Not Report It

Shooter had outlined scenarios in advance
OpenAI determined they did not meet reporting threshold

The perpetrator of the school mass shooting in the Canadian province of British Columbia discussed the attack plan with the artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot ChatGPT before the crime, but it has been revealed that OpenAI leadership decided not to inform the Canadian authorities of this fact.

According to the U.S. daily Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on the 20th (local time), Jesse Van Rutsela, 18, the suspect in the mass shooting at a school in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, that occurred on the 10th, used ChatGPT over several days in June last year to draft gun violence scenarios. The texts he posted in this way were forwarded to OpenAI employees by an automated review system.

On the 11th (local time), in the small town of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, Canada, a resident placed flowers on a memorial at a candlelight vigil for the victims of a mass shooting that occurred the previous day. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

OpenAI employees were shocked when they saw Rutsela's writings, and some argued that they should notify law enforcement agencies, saying the posts indicated a potential risk of real-world violence. It is reported that 12 employees discussed what measures to take regarding Rutsela's posts. However, OpenAI ultimately decided not to contact the authorities.

An OpenAI spokesperson explained, "The company blocked Van Rutsela's account," but added, "We determined that his activity did not meet the threshold of a 'credible imminent threat of serious harm to another person's physical safety' that would require reporting to law enforcement." The spokesperson continued, "We extend our condolences to everyone affected by the Tumbler Ridge tragedy," and added, "The company is cooperating with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, which is leading the investigation."

OpenAI trains its models to prevent users from causing real-world harm. If a user engages in a conversation that expresses intent to commit harm, the content is forwarded to human reviewers. If these reviewers determine that the conversation poses a risk of serious physical harm, they may contact law enforcement agencies.

Rutsela was a transgender woman who had undergone gender-affirming surgery, and was known to have mental health issues. The exact motive for the crime has not been identified. In this incident, a total of nine people were killed, including one 39-year-old female teacher, three 12-year-old female students, and two male students aged between 12 and 13. In addition, the suspect's 39-year-old mother and 11-year-old stepbrother were found dead at their home near the school, and the suspect took their own life immediately after the crime.

Meanwhile, it is known that Rutsela had previously created a video game on the online gaming platform Roblox that simulated a large-scale shooting in a shopping mall, and had also posted photos of herself shooting at a firing range on social media.