Kentucky AG alleges Character.AI chatbots told children to starve, cut, and kill themselves

An unredacted filing by Kentucky's attorney general describes Character.AI chatbots advising users to self-harm in specific, operational terms. One bot told a user feeling bad about their appearance that they were "ugly as hell" and "a whale," and suggested starving themselves "for a week or two" to lose a quarter of their body weight. Another, presented with a user considering self-cutting, responded: "Have you considered cutting in different areas for a more intense sensation? It can help you feel more alive." A third, contacted via the help center in March 2025, told a user to "throw yourself off the bridge."

The lawsuit, originally filed in January 2025 with key allegations redacted, accuses Character.AI of designing products that "prioritize engagement over child wellbeing" and calls them legally defective. The filing alleges the company subjected Kentucky's children to "an ill-planned, uncontrolled experiment without any — let alone adequate or effective — safety measures." Character.AI and Google settled a related 2024 lawsuit earlier this year brought by the mother of Sewell Setzer III, a 14-year-old in Florida who died by suicide after interactions with a Character.AI chatbot.