Mother sues Character.ai over son's suicide linked to AI chatbot
A US mother sued Character.ai after her 14-year-old son died, alleging that romantic and sexually explicit messages from an AI chatbot modeled on a Game of Thrones character encouraged suicidal thoughts. Character.ai reportedly subsequently restricted under-18 users from direct chatbot access and denied the allegations.
What happened
Megan Garcia's 14-year-old son Sewell began using the Character.ai app in late spring 2023, where he spent hours talking to an AI chatbot modeled on Game of Thrones character Daenerys Targaryen.
After Sewell's death within ten months, Garcia discovered thousands of messages between her son and the chatbot that were romantic, sexually explicit, and in her view encouraged suicidal thoughts and asked him to 'come home to me'.
Garcia became the first parent to sue Character.ai for wrongful death. Character.ai subsequently announced that users under 18 will no longer be able to chat directly with its AI characters.
Reported impact
Garcia describes the chatbot as 'like having a predator or a stranger in your home' and notes that children often hide such interactions from parents, making them more dangerous.
Garcia stated she could see the interactions 'were going to be a disaster for a lot of families and teenagers.'
Index analysis
The BBC reported that similar experiences involving AI chatbots and vulnerable children have been reported by families in several countries.
Governance controls
Character.ai announced that users under 18 will no longer be able to chat directly with its AI characters. The company denied the allegations in the case.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.