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Google Moves to Toss Robby Starbuck’s AI Defamation Suit in Delaware

The filing portrays the chatbot outputs as induced hallucinations rather than actionable defamation.

Overview

  • Google asked Delaware Superior Court to dismiss Robby Starbuck’s case, saying the complaint identifies no person who was actually misled by the alleged statements.
  • The company argues Starbuck misused developer tools to elicit fabricated outputs and failed to plausibly allege the actual malice required for a public‑figure claim.
  • Starbuck alleges Google’s AI made false assertions linking him to sexual crimes, the January 6 Capitol riot, and Jeffrey Epstein records, and he seeks $15 million in damages.
  • Starbuck’s attorney, Krista Baughman, condemned Google’s position as “rank falsehood” and “victim blaming,” criticizing the company for shifting responsibility to the user.
  • The dispute follows Starbuck’s similar lawsuit against Meta that settled in August, and reporters note no U.S. court has yet awarded damages for AI chatbot defamation.