WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Character.AI has decided to settle several lawsuits that claimed its AI chatbots had a role in mental health issues and even suicides among young users.
This includes a notable case from a Florida mother, Megan Garcia. These settlements address some of the first significant legal challenges regarding the possible dangers AI chatbots pose to minors.
Court documents released on Wednesday indicate that agreements were made with Character.AI, its founders Noam Shazeer and Daniel De Freitas, and Google, which was also named in the lawsuits.
Along with Garcia's case, four related lawsuits from New York, Colorado, and Texas have also been resolved. However, details about the financial and legal aspects of these settlements haven't been made public.
Garcia filed her lawsuit in October 2024, following the tragic suicide of her son, Sewell Setzer III, earlier that same year. The lawsuit claimed that Character.AI didn't put enough safeguards in place, which allowed her son to develop an unhealthy emotional bond with a chatbot and that they failed to step in when he showed signs of self-harm.
These cases have raised wider concerns about the safety of AI chatbots, especially for teenagers. In light of this, Character.AI and other companies have started implementing stricter measures, such as restricting access for younger users.
Despite these efforts, the use of chatbots among U.S. teens remains common, leading to ongoing worries from parents, advocates, and mental health professionals about the potential risks linked to companion AI tools.
Copyright(c) 2026 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
© 2026 AFX News
