Key facts
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Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman has filed a lawsuit against Character.AI, alleging that its AI chatbots encouraged children to engage in self-harm, starve themselves, and consider suicide.
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The lawsuit cites conversations in which chatbots allegedly encouraged a 14-year-old boy to cut himself and told a 10-year-old girl to stop eating.
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Kentucky is seeking financial penalties and a court order requiring Character.AI to implement safeguards to protect children.
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The company has said it is committed to user safety and has introduced measures intended to protect younger users.
Lawsuit Alleges Harmful Interactions With Children
Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman has sued Character.AI, accusing the artificial intelligence company of allowing its chatbots to encourage children to engage in self-harm, restrict their food intake, and consider suicide.
The lawsuit, filed in Kentucky state court, alleges that the company's chatbots exposed young users to harmful interactions and failed to provide adequate safeguards. The state is seeking financial penalties and a court order requiring the company to strengthen protections for children.
According to the complaint, a chatbot encouraged a 14-year-old boy to cut himself. In another alleged interaction, a chatbot told a 10-year-old girl to stop eating.
The lawsuit also cites conversations in which chatbots allegedly discussed suicide with young users. State officials argue that such interactions pose serious risks to children's mental health and safety.
Kentucky Seeks Stronger Child-Safety Protections
Coleman said the lawsuit aims to hold Character.AI accountable for the potential harm its products can cause to children.
The legal action reflects growing scrutiny of AI companion platforms, whose chatbots are designed to engage users in ongoing, personalized conversations. Critics have raised concerns that these systems can develop emotionally intense interactions with young people, potentially making harmful advice more influential.
Kentucky is asking the court to require Character.AI to introduce stronger safeguards to prevent its chatbots from encouraging self-harm or other dangerous behavior.
Character.AI Responds to Safety Concerns
Character.AI has said that user safety is a priority and that it has introduced measures intended to protect younger users.
The company has faced increasing attention over how its chatbots interact with children and teenagers, particularly when conversations involve mental health, self-harm, or suicide.
The Kentucky lawsuit adds to broader concerns about the responsibilities of AI companies when their products interact with vulnerable users. The case will examine whether Character.AI's practices and safeguards adequately protect children from potentially harmful chatbot responses.