Overview
- Google asked a Delaware state court to toss the case, arguing the alleged statements resulted from Starbuck’s misuse of developer tools to induce hallucinations.
- The company says the complaint does not disclose the prompts used or identify any person who actually believed the challenged outputs, and it fails to plead actual malice required for a public figure.
- Starbuck alleges Google’s AI generated false claims linking him to sexual abuse, attendance at the January 6 Capitol riot, and the Jeffrey Epstein files, and he seeks $15 million in damages.
- Starbuck’s attorney called Google’s motion “equal parts rank falsehood and victim blaming,” criticizing the company’s characterization of the events.
- The dispute contrasts with Meta’s approach, which settled a similar Starbuck claim in August and engaged him as an advisor, and reporters note no U.S. court has yet awarded damages for AI-chatbot defamation.