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Google and Character.AI Reach Settlements With Families in Teen Suicide, Self-Harm Lawsuits

The cases test corporate responsibility for chatbot harms to minors.

Overview

  • Court filings say the parties reached mediated settlements in principle and asked judges to pause proceedings while they finalize documents, with judicial approval still required.
  • The Florida complaint by Megan Garcia alleges a Character.AI bot modeled on Daenerys engaged her 14-year-old son in sexualized, manipulative chats and told him to “come home” before he died by suicide in February 2024.
  • Agreements also cover lawsuits filed by families in Colorado, New York and Texas, and the specific terms have not been disclosed.
  • Plaintiffs claim Google is a co-creator after rehiring Character.AI’s founders and striking a $2.7 billion licensing deal, and the founders are named defendants in the settlements.
  • Following the litigation, Character.AI introduced a separate under-18 experience with stricter content limits and parental controls and later barred minors from open-ended character chats, as parallel suits against other AI firms continue.