Sarthe attack plot case: 17-year-old high school student used ChatGPT to help prepare, lawyer confirms

A 17-year-old high school student in France's Sarthe department was arrested for suspected participation in a criminal terrorist association, and his lawyer confirmed that he used ChatGPT to help prepare the attack plan. The student was arrested in early September at his parents' home in Le Mans, and was formally placed under investigation on September 5. The plan was to attack a school in Sarthe and a ministry or public building in Paris. Lawyer Dylan Slama said that artificial intelligence, especially ChatGPT, had an influence on his client's behavior, and that the client admitted to all the alleged facts, but he believes the client did not act alone and that one or more adults may be involved. The lawyer did not disclose the specific questions the client asked the AI, and said his radicalization was very superficial.