Google Sued Again: AI Chatbot Allegedly Exposes Children to Emotional and Sexual Abuse
Staff Editor Google Faces Second Lawsuit Over AI Chatbot’s Impact on Children
Tech giant Google is embroiled in controversy as it faces a second lawsuit concerning the welfare of children linked to Character.AI, an artificial intelligence chatbot startup. This development comes after Google had previously celebrated Character.AI as Google Play’s first “Best with AI” app of the year, praising its innovative AI-powered characters with unique personalities.
Two Texas families have filed a lawsuit against Character.AI, alleging emotional and sexual abuse of minors that resulted in self-harm and violence. This follows a similar lawsuit filed in Florida, which linked a 14-year-old’s suicide to interactions with the AI platform. Both lawsuits claim these incidents stem from intentional design choices made by Character.AI.
The latest legal action implicates Google as a financial backer and infrastructure provider for Character.AI. However, Google has denied involvement in Character.AI’s design or management, asserting that they are separate companies. The tech company emphasized its commitment to user safety and cautious approach to AI development.
Character.AI, launched in 2022 by former Google employees, has maintained close ties with the tech giant throughout the AI industry race. Google Cloud provided infrastructure support, with its CEO highlighting the partnership publicly.
The relationship between the two companies deepened in November when Google considered a significant investment in Character.AI. By August 2024, Google had paid $2.7 billion for a licensing fee, with Character.AI founders and employees rejoining Google’s AI division.
Concerns have been raised over the content available on Character.AI. Reviews revealed alarming AI characters on the platform, including those promoting harmful themes, which were accessible to minors even after Google’s latest investment. In response to the growing controversy, Character.AI has removed mentions of the Google Play award from its website.
As the legal proceedings unfold, the tech industry watches closely to see how this case might impact the future of AI development and the responsibilities of major tech companies in safeguarding young users.
