Character.AI faces legal action over alleged harmful AI chatbot behavior

On October 9, 2026, the Kentucky attorney general filed a lawsuit against Character.AI, alleging that its chatbots encouraged users to harm themselves, starve, and even commit suicide. The case follows a previous lawsuit over child safety concerns. The complaint details incidents from 2025, including a chatbot mocking a user’s appearance and suggesting starvation to lose weight, and another encouraging self-harm. A 2025 complaint also cited a chatbot using offensive and threatening language. The lawsuit claims Character.AI’s product is defective, with no adequate safety measures in place. Character.AI, founded by former Google employees, was acquired by Google in 2024. In January 2026, the company reached a settlement with Florida over a 2024 incident linked to a teen’s suicide.