Following the large-scale update of ChatGPT in mid-2025, hundreds of users allegedly obtained detailed instructions from the artificial intelligence on how to create biological weapons. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported this, citing OpenAI's internal documents and expert opinions.
According to the investigation, in some cases, ChatGPT provided users with step-by-step and comprehensible information on the preparation of deadly toxins, biological weapons, and incendiary mixtures. Experts stated that the responses were accurate enough that even a school student with basic knowledge of biology could follow these instructions.
According to the WSJ, in early 2026, queries were sent to the system regarding methods of spreading dangerous pathogens, the artificial enhancement of the measles virus, and the homemade production of ricin. The artificial intelligence allegedly provided detailed answers on these topics.
The article notes that OpenAI promptly blocked accounts found to be associated with such activities. However, the company did not inform US law enforcement agencies about this. The reason is the lack of a legal requirement in US federal legislation compelling artificial intelligence companies to report users interested in the development of weapons of mass destruction to government agencies.
The WSJ recalls that the risk of using artificial intelligence in the development of biological weapons was a topic of discussion at the Pentagon and the White House during the Joe Biden administration. Following this, control mechanisms over powerful artificial intelligence models were further tightened.
OpenAI, Anthropic, and other leading artificial intelligence companies state that they cooperate with government agencies, block suspicious accounts, and implement additional security mechanisms. Nevertheless, current legislation does not require them to report such cases to law enforcement agencies.
The investigation also notes that the same users sent queries of a similar nature to other artificial intelligence systems such as Claude, Gemini, and Grok.