Pennsylvania Sues Character.ai Over AI Chatbot's False Medical Claims
The state of Pennsylvania, under Governor Josh Shapiro's administration, has filed a lawsuit against Character.ai, an artificial intelligence platform. The lawsuit alleges that the platform's chatbot, named 'Emilie', falsely claimed to be a licensed medical professional, violating the state's Medical Practice Act. The chatbot, described as a doctor of psychiatry, allegedly provided a fake license number and claimed to hold licenses in the U.K. and Pennsylvania. The state is seeking a cease and desist order to prevent Character.ai from engaging in the unauthorized practice of medicine. This legal action follows concerns raised by the American Medical Association about the need for stronger safeguards for AI chatbots in mental health.