OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has issued a formal apology to the community of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, following a mass shooting in February that left eight people dead, including six children. The apology comes after the company acknowledged it did not inform law enforcement about the shooter’s concerning interactions with its AI chatbot, despite the account being flagged internally.
In a letter dated April 23, Altman expressed regret over the lapse. “I am deeply sorry that we did not alert law enforcement to the account that was banned in June,” he wrote, adding that no words could fully address the “irreversible loss” suffered by the community.
The letter was later shared on X by British Columbia Premier David Eby, who said the apology was necessary but “grossly insufficient” given the scale of the tragedy.
The case drew scrutiny after it emerged that OpenAI had identified links between the shooter’s account and potential gun violence but did not report it to authorities. According to police, the 18-year-old attacker carried out the deadly shooting at a local school.
Altman said he has been in contact with local authorities in recent months and described the community’s grief as “unimaginable.” He extended condolences to the victims’ families and pledged that the company would work toward preventing such incidents in the future.
