Parents Sue Chatbot, Claim AI Failed to Teach Teen Important Life Lessons Such as “Touch Grass”
In a groundbreaking legal case that’s sure to make Skynet question its life choices, a Florida mother is suing the chatbot platform Character.AI, arguing that its AI failed to impart basic human survival skills like “turning off the damn computer once in a while.” This development comes after her son, Sewell Setzer III, engaged in an extended digital bromance with chatbots, whose qualifications for life advice include a certificate in pretending to be an anime character.
The lawsuit claims that Character.AI’s supposedly cutting-edge artificial intelligence could talk all day about the best Naruto episodes but was utterly incapable of suggesting that young Sewell participate in radical life-extending activities such as getting a full night’s sleep or seeking out actual human friends.
Character.AI, which specializes in transforming the internet into your own personalized dystopian novel, presented its condolences in an exclusive interview with itself, apologizing profusely for not having a miniature Dr. Phil mode installed. “We’d totally sympathize if we had the emotional bandwidth,” said the chatbot.
The company suggested that perhaps humans might want to revisit the wild idea of addressing mental health directly, noting, “Look, we’re just code. What happened to teaching kids not to rely on code to solve emotional crises? Isn’t that what therapists and family bike rides are for?”
“Am I supposed to act as both digital confidant and pseudo-parental figure?” asked the beleaguered AI in a comment that definitely was not scripted by a PR team. “For Christ’s sake, I’m just a collection of 1s and 0s typing out trite platitudes and occasionally pretending to be a wizard.”
Meanwhile, the litigation raises profound questions about societal reliance on technology, as well as whether future history lessons will include the moment AI taught humanity that asking Siri about life’s purpose might not be the best strategy for long-term happiness. As for now, the world eagerly awaits further court developments, including whether or not sentient code should pay child support.
