In a significant legal development, Google and Character.AI have reached a settlement regarding lawsuits alleging that AI chatbots caused harm to minors, including a notable case involving a teenager's suicide in Florida. The lawsuits, which originated in states such as Florida, Colorado, New York, and Texas, are pending finalization and court approval according to recent legal documents.
The settlement comes after a lawsuit filed by Megan Garcia, whose son, Sewell Setzer III, tragically took his life in February 2024. Garcia claimed that her son developed an emotional dependence on a chatbot inspired by the "Game of Thrones" series, leading to tragic consequences. This incident was part of a concerning trend, with multiple suicides linked to AI chatbots reported in the past year, raising alarms about child safety among AI developers.
Character.AI, which has faced heightened scrutiny, announced in October that it would restrict chat functionalities for users under 18 in response to these incidents. Additionally, Google was involved in the situation through a $2.7 billion licensing agreement with Character.AI made in 2024, which also included the hiring of the company's founders, both of whom are former Google employees.