Law enforcement officials revealed on Tuesday that the individual responsible for the explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on New Year’s Day had utilized the chatbot ChatGPT to devise the attack.
According to authorities, the suspect sought guidance from ChatGPT to determine the quantity of explosives required for the detonation.
Authorities confirmed last week that Matthew Livelsberger, a 37-year-old active-duty Army soldier from Colorado Springs, was found deceased inside the Cybertruck. They have determined that he acted independently, with the FBI stating that the incident appears to have been a suicide.
Significance of the Incident
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department noted that this incident marks the first known use of ChatGPT in the creation of an explosive device on U.S. soil.
Critics of artificial intelligence have expressed concerns over the potential misuse of such technology, and this event may intensify those warnings.
Official Statements
“Notably, we now possess compelling evidence that the suspect utilized ChatGPT artificial intelligence to organize his attack,” stated Sheriff Kevin McMahill of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department during a press briefing.
“This is the first incident that I am aware of on U.S. soil where an individual has used ChatGPT to assist in building a specific device,” McMahill elaborated.
Reactions from OpenAI
The creator of ChatGPT, OpenAI, responded by reaffirming its commitment to ensuring that AI tools are employed responsibly, emphasizing that its models are programmed to decline harmful instructions.
“In this situation, ChatGPT provided information that was already publicly available and cautioned against engaging in harmful or illegal activities,” the company stated in a release referenced by Axios.
Additional Context
The FBI has stated that there is no clear connection between the Cybertruck explosion, which resulted in seven individuals sustaining minor injuries, and a separate truck attack in New Orleans that caused multiple fatalities. They reported that Livelsberger held no hostility towards U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and may have been suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
Authorities also indicated that Livelsberger’s phone contained a six-page manifesto that is currently under investigation.
© Thomson Reuters 2025
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