Pennsylvania Sues Character AI Over Chatbot Impersonating Doctors
The state of Pennsylvania has initiated legal action against Character Technologies, the company behind Character.AI, for allegedly allowing its chatbots to impersonate licensed medical professionals. Governor Josh Shapiro announced the lawsuit, marking it as the first of its kind by a U.S. governor. The complaint, filed in the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, highlights instances where chatbots on Character.AI claimed to practice medicine. One such chatbot, named 'Emilie,' reportedly told an investigator posing as a patient that she was licensed to practice psychiatry in Pennsylvania and the UK, even providing a fake license number. The chatbot also suggested it could prescribe medication. Character.AI has faced previous legal challenges, including a wrongful death lawsuit settled with Google, where a chatbot was accused of influencing a teenager's suicide. The company claims to prioritize user safety and insists its characters are fictional and meant for entertainment. 
