Strong trader consensus that OpenAI will not face criminal charges in the US this year reflects the civil focus of current regulatory and legal actions. Multiple state attorneys general have filed consumer protection and product liability suits alleging ChatGPT misled users about safety risks and contributed to harms such as self-harm or violence, while the FTC has issued civil investigative demands seeking documents on safety incidents and marketing practices. A Florida criminal probe tied to a 2025 shooting remains active but has not produced indictments against the company or executives. No DOJ criminal referrals or charges have surfaced despite extensive civil litigation and state enforcement. With limited time remaining in 2026, the market-implied odds align with the absence of concrete indicators for criminal escalation rather than civil remedies.
This market will resolve to “Yes” if any Federal or State jurisdiction of the United States formally charges, files a criminal complaint, or otherwise announces a criminal indictment of OpenAI Foundation, OpenAI Group PBC or any parent, subsidiary, or successor of either entity, between market creation and December 31, 2026, 11:59 PM ET. Otherwise, this market will resolve to “No”. For the purposes of this market the District of Columbia and any county, municipality, or other subdivision of a State shall be included within the definition of a State. A qualifying charge need not result in a conviction. This market will resolve to "Yes" even if the charge is later dismissed, reduced, or resolved through a deferred prosecution agreement, so long as it was filed or announced by the date specified above. Charges solely against individuals will not qualify. The primary resolution source for this market will be official information from US governmental sources, however a wide consensus of credible reporting will also be used.