Tell me - "Character.AI," owned by the global "Alphabet" company that owns "Google," faces a complicated case in Florida courts, where a woman claimed that the application was a reason for her 14-year-old son's suicide, according to "Reuters."
This is the first case of its kind in the United States against artificial intelligence companies, as the entire case is built on the claim that the company failed to protect the child's psychological state and led to his suicide after becoming obsessed with talking to a smart chat robot.
For its part, "Character.AI" confirmed that it intends to appeal in the case as it uses a variety of safety features to protect children and minors who use the platform, fearing serious consequences. This was reinforced by a statement from José Castañeda, the official spokesperson for "Google," who said that they completely disagree with the case, asserting that "Google" is entirely different from "Character.AI" despite being owned by the same group, and that it did not contribute in any way to building the company's services or even the fictional characters found in it.
The case has progressed beyond the initial claim phase, as a Florida court compelled the two companies to appear before it and defend themselves in this case, after the company failed to prove that the case falls under the freedom of expression protection clauses specified in the American Constitution.
It is worth noting that the first appearance of the case was in October of last year, shortly after Swell Sitzer committed suicide in February of the same year. Despite the companies’ continuous attempts to prove the case incorrect, U.S. District Judge Ann Conway found that the accusation was valid and that the case should proceed.
