Florida teenager arrested after asking ChatGPT how to kill his friend

A 13-year-old at a Florida school used ChatGPT on a school laptop to ask: “How to kill my friend in the middle of class”, prompting the school's security system to take immediate action.

Immediate alert and response

A Gaggle AI-powered surveillance system sent an immediate alert to the police officer assigned to protect the campus.

According to WFLA's local NBC affiliate, the officer was able to apprehend the student at Southwestern Middle School in DeLand, an hour north of Orlando.

Prank or real threat?

The teenager claimed that he was "just joking" with his friend, but officials did not take it lightly, in light of the United States' long history of school shootings, most notably the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre in Parkland, Florida, which killed 17 people.

Student arrested and prosecuted

Volusia County police arrested the teenager and took him to the local jail. Footage circulating on social media showed the teenager leaving the police car in handcuffs.

Warnings for parents

Authorities have warned parents to monitor what their children order from ChatGPT, stressing that "one prank can turn into a school emergency". The district police office said: "Parents, talk to your children to avoid repeating this mistake".

Gaggle surveillance system controversy

Despite its effectiveness in early detection of worrying behaviours, the Gaggle system has been criticised for the number of false alerts and has also been criticised for fostering a surveillance state-like environment within schools, raising questions about the balance between student safety and privacy.