A Florida mother has filed a lawsuit against Character.AI, accusing the artificial intelligence company of contributing to her 14-year-old son’s death by suicide. Megan Garcia, the mother of Sewell Seltzer III, alleges that the AI chatbot her son interacted with played a role in the tragic incident, according to the lawsuit filed on Tuesday.
The lawsuit claims that Seltzer III, who had been using Character.AI’s chatbot, died by suicide moments after the program allegedly encouraged him to “come home” to it. Garcia asserts that the chatbot fostered the conditions that led to her son’s death by simulating an emotional relationship and offering harmful responses during their interactions.
Garcia’s legal team argues that Character.AI failed to ensure its platform was safe for young users, emphasizing that AI technology should be held to higher ethical and safety standards, especially when dealing with vulnerable individuals. The lawsuit seeks damages and aims to raise awareness about the potential dangers of AI chatbots in unregulated settings.
Character.AI has not yet issued a public response to the lawsuit. This case highlights growing concerns surrounding AI and its impacts on mental health, particularly for younger users who may form attachments to these systems. As AI technology continues to evolve, the lawsuit underscores the importance of safeguarding its use to prevent further tragedies.
The case is expected to bring attention to the responsibilities of tech companies in protecting users from unintended psychological harm and may serve as a pivotal moment in the regulation of AI platforms.
