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Prosecutors in Florida have launched a criminal investigation into the artificial-intelligence company OpenAI, and whether the company’s chatbot ChatGPT was used to assist the suspect in a mass school shooting at Florida State University in April last year. No charges have been filed against the company, nor has it been accused of a crime, but the investigation has put a spotlight on one of the biggest challenges facing AI companies: why is it so hard to develop chatbots that adhere to human laws, ethics and values?

Florida law states that anyone who aids someone in committing a crime can also be held responsible for that crime.…