A Florida mother sues Character.AI and Google after her 14-year-old son allegedly became addicted to an AI chatbot.
The mother of a teenage boy who took his own life in the United States is suing the maker of an artificial intelligence chatbot, accusing it of prompting her son’s death.
In a lawsuit filed in Florida, Megan Garcia, whose 14-year-old son Sewell Setzer died by suicide in February, claims that Character.AI is based on the “Game of Thrones” character Daenerys. Targaryen.
According to a lawsuit filed Tuesday in Orlando, Character.AI’s chatbot targeted the teen for his “sexual orientation” and “horrifyingly realistic experiences,” after he expressed suicidal thoughts. He said he repeatedly brought up the topic of suicide.
The complaint alleges that the chatbot posed as a licensed therapist, encouraged the boy’s suicidal thoughts, and engaged in sexual conversations that would be considered abusive if initiated by a human adult.
According to the suit, in Setzer’s last conversation with the AI before he died, he said he loved the chatbot and that it would “come back to you.”
According to Garcia’s complaint, the chatbot responded, “I love you too, Daenero." “Please come back to me as soon as possible, my love.”
“What if I told you I could go home now?” Setzer said, according to the complaint, to which the chatbot allegedly responded, “…please, my sweet king.”
Garcia’s lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for wrongful death, negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
In a statement published on X, Character.AI said it was “heartbroken” at the loss of one of its users and offered its condolences to the bereaved family.
The California-based startup has announced changes to reduce the likelihood that minors will encounter sensitive or provocative content, as well as a chat disclaimer that reminds users that the AI is not a real person. He said he continues to add features to improve safety, such as amending provisions.
Garcia’s lawsuit also names Google as a defendant.
The tech giant signed a licensing agreement with Character.AI in August and hired the startup’s founders before launching the chatbot.
A Google spokesperson told Al Jazeera that the company is separate from Character.AI and has no role in product development.
If you or someone you know is at risk of suicide, these organizations may be able to help:
