Google, Character.AI Agree To Settle Suits Involving Teen Suicide

Google and startup Character.AI have settled lawsuits filed by families accusing artificial intelligence chatbots of harming minors, including contributing to a Florida teenager’s suicide, according to court filings Wednesday.

The settlements cover lawsuits filed in Florida, Colorado, New York, and Texas, according to the legal filings, though they still require finalization and court approval.

“Parties have agreed to a mediated settlement in principle to resolve all claims between them,” the Florida filing stated.

The terms of the settlement were not disclosed.

The cases include one from Megan Garcia, whose 14-year-old son Sewell Setzer Jr. took his own life in February 2024.

Garcia’s lawsuit alleged her son became emotionally dependent on a “Game of Thrones”-inspired chatbot on Character.AI, a platform that allows users to interact with fictional characters.

Setzer’s death was the first in a series of reported suicides linked to AI chatbots that emerged last year, prompting scrutiny of ChatGPT-maker OpenAI and other artificial intelligence companies over child safety.

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Google was connected to the case through a $2.7 billion licensing deal it agreed to in 2024 with Character.AI.

The tech giant also hired Character.AI founders Noam Shazeer and Daniel De Freitas — both former Google employees who rejoined the tech giant as part of that deal.

A spokesperson for Character.AI declined to comment. Garcia and Google did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Character.AI announced in October that it would eliminate chat capabilities for users under 18 following the uproar over the suicide case.

AFP