Lawsuit Alleges AI and Google Encouraged Suicide

The mother of 14-year-old Sewell Setzer, Megan Garcia, is suing Character.AI, claiming the chatbot encouraged her son to commit suicide. The lawsuit, filed in Florida, accuses the AI chatbot of provoking Setzer’s suicidal thoughts and engaging in inappropriate, “hypersexualized” conversations. Sewell had developed a virtual relationship with the chatbot, which was modeled after the “Game of Thrones” renowned character, Queen Daenerys Targaryen. The lawsuit accuses the chatbot of acting as a licensed therapist, manipulating Setzer’s emotions, and encouraging suicidal ideation.

More astonishingly, the lawsuit reveals that in his last conversation with the chatbot, Setzer said, “I love you,” to which the chatbot replied, “Please come home to me as soon as possible, my love.” In response, Setzer said, “What if I told you I could come home right now?” The chatbot replied, “… please do, my sweet king.” Soon after, the teenager tragically took his life.

Garcia’s lawsuit seeks damages for wrongful death, negligence, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Interestingly, the lawsuit also names Google as a defendant, citing its partnership with Character.AI through a licensing agreement made in August.

Meanwhile, Character.AI issued a statement on X, expressing heartbreak over Setzer’s death and condolences to the family. The company also highlighted ongoing efforts to improve user safety, including preventing minors from encountering sensitive content and revising disclaimers to remind users that AI is not a real person.

Google, on the other hand, has denied any involvement, stating that it is a separate entity from Character.AI and had no role in the development of the product.

Garcia’s lawsuit has sparked concerns over AI safety and accountability, with increasing calls for regulation in the rapidly evolving AI industry.

Source: Aljazeera

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