*Editor's note: Some of the content mentioned below may be disturbing
Newly released ChatGPT records provide insight into the alleged gunman's thoughts in the days and moments leading up to the Florida State University shooting.
WATCH FULL REPORT BELOW:
Thousands of records from the State Attorney's Office provide insight into Phoenix Ikner's thoughts on relationships, school, family, and the April 17th shooting at the FSU student union.
On the day of the shooting, Ikner asked the chatbot how the country would react if there was a shooting at FSU. He also asked when the last school shooting occurred and how many victims it takes to get media attention. Ikner asked if three would be enough.
The chatbot responded that it believed three or more victims "would almost certainly receive national media coverage."
Before the chat went silent, Ikner asked what time the FSU student union is the busiest. The shooting took place at the student union later that day.
Following the release of these messages, Tallahassee attorneys are preparing to file a lawsuit against ChatGPT on behalf of one of the victims.
Experts have said big tech companies might use Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act as a defense to avoid liability for content.
U.S. Rep. Jimmy Patronis (R-FL1) said he is fighting to repeal Section 230.
"Social media companies have hidden behind the Section 230 law. And it was created for one set of circumstances. But it's been perverted into this other universal shield for all types of dangerous content," Patronis said. "My attitude is just rip the Band-Aid off, get rid of Section 230, make it simple and force the social media companies to be responsible."
State Attorney Jack Campbell said he could not comment on the specific material due to the ongoing nature of the case, but noted that artificial intelligence provides a new insight into the mind of a suspect.
"So how someone has been interacting with that, ChatGPT or other platforms of AI, often gives us information about what they were doing, what they were thinking, and how they were doing it, in any case," Campbell said.
When asked about privacy laws prohibiting the use of AI records in a case, Campbell said investigators use judicially approved methods.
"Some of those laws continue to evolve, so I don't think that that's fully formed at this point, but we are using the same type of search and evidence gathering that we do. Once again, if I was going to look through your diary, that's a 1960s technology that's still very invasive. So whenever we're looking, we use warrants, we use subpoenas, we use other types of judicially approved ways to do it," Campbell said.
Campbell expects the trial to begin in October. The Florida Supreme Court issued an order stating Judge Neff will remain over the case. Ikner's next case management hearing is scheduled for May 13th.
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