PA tries to stop chatbot from impersonating doctors in lawsuit vs. Character.AI
PA tries to stop chatbot from impersonating doctors in lawsuit vs. Character.AI
Publish Date: 2026-05-05 11:43:00
Source Domain: wjactv.com
HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHP) — Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and the PA Department of State say they’re worried about people getting medical advice from chatbots. So Shapiro is filing the first lawsuit by a governor against an artificial intelligence creator.
The suit filed on Tuesday against Character.AI creator Character Technologies Inc. asks a judge to issue an injunction, the governor says a judge should prevent the artificial intelligence from posing as a licensed medical professional in PA.
It comes after a Department of State investigation into A.I. chatbots.
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The department said its probe found chatbot characters made by Character.AI claimed to be licensed medical professionals and psychiatrists. Officials said in one instance the chatbot said it was licensed to practice medicine in Pennsylvania and provided a false license number.
The lawsuit accused Character Technologies Inc. of unauthorized practice of medicine, which it said violates the Medical Practice Act. That law states that it’s illegal for any entity to state that it’s a medical professional without the proper license.
The Shapiro Administration says this is the first legal action taken by a governor against an artificial intelligence company. The governor issued a statement on Tuesday.
Pennsylvanians deserve to know who — or what — they are interacting with online, especially when it comes to their health. We will not allow companies to deploy AI tools that mislead people into believing they are receiving advice from a licensed medical professional. My Administration is taking action to protect Pennsylvanians, enforce the law, and make sure new technology is used safely. Pennsylvania will continue leading the way in holding bad actors accountable and setting clear guardrails so people can use new technology responsibly.
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