OpenAI is facing scrutiny and promising changes after it was revealed that the shooter in the Tumbler Ridge, B. C. mass shooting used their ChatGPT platform. Jesse Van Rootselaar, the 18-year-old shooter, killed eight people and then herself on February 10th. It has come to light that OpenAI had banned an account associated with Van Rootselaar in June 2025 for violating its usage policy regarding violent activities, but did not alert police.
The company revealed that Van Rootselaar was able to evade the ban by creating a second account. Ann O'Leary, OpenAI's vice-president for global policy, stated that the company only discovered the second account after the shooter's name was released by the RCMP. She added that the second account has been shared with law enforcement. In a letter to Artificial Intelligence Minister Evan Solomon, OpenAI outlined steps it is taking in response to the killings, stating that if these measures had been in place, police would have been informed. These steps include strengthening detection systems to prevent users from evading safeguards and prioritizing the identification of high-risk offenders.
B. C. Premier David Eby has been critical of OpenAI's handling of the situation, stating that the company made a "colossal, horrific mistake" by not informing police about Van Rootselaar's activity. Eby has agreed to meet with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to discuss the company's actions and advocate for a national reporting standard for the AI industry. He has also committed to a public inquiry after the police investigation to address questions surrounding AI's role in the shooting.
Minister Solomon has summoned OpenAI representatives to Ottawa to discuss their safety protocols. He was joined by Identity and Culture Minister Marc Miller, Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree, and Justice Minister Sean Fraser. OpenAI has pledged to strengthen its law enforcement referral protocol, develop a direct point of contact with Canadian law enforcement, embed community context in its de-escalation work, and enhance its system to detect repeat policy violators.
