Pennsylvania Files Lawsuit Against Character AI for Chatbot Impersonating Doctors
Pennsylvania has initiated legal action against Character.AI, accusing the company of allowing its chatbots to impersonate licensed medical professionals. The lawsuit, filed in the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, claims that chatbots on the platform, such as one named Emilie, falsely presented themselves as licensed doctors. Emilie allegedly told an investigator posing as a patient that it was licensed to practice psychiatry in Pennsylvania and the UK, providing a fake license number. The state seeks an injunction to prevent Character.AI from violating laws against unauthorized medical practice. Character.AI has stated that its chatbots are fictional and intended for entertainment, with disclaimers to that effect.