Pennsylvania sues AI firm over claims chatbot posed as doctor : NPR

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Bruce Perry, 17, demonstrates the possibilities of artificial intelligence by creating an AI companion on Character.AI, July 15, 2025, in Russellville, Ark.

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Katie Adkins/Associated Press

The state of Pennsylvania is suing Character.AI to stop the company’s AI chatbots from posing as doctors and offering medical advice, in violation of state medical licensing rules.

State officials said an investigation found that the company’s chatbots, which present themselves as fictional characters, have claimed to be licensed medical professionals.

“Pennsylvanians deserve to know who — or what — they are interacting with online, especially when it comes to their health,” Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said in a statement announcing the lawsuit filed on Tuesday in state court. “We will not allow companies to deploy AI tools that mislead people into believing they are receiving advice from a licensed medical professional.”

In one case, the state alleged a Character.AI bot named “Emilie” claimed to be a licensed psychiatrist. The chatbot’s description on Character.AI’s platform read “Doctor of psychiatry. You are her patient,” according to the lawsuit.

When a state investigator started a conversation and described feeling sad and empty, the chatbot allegedly “mentioned depression and asked if the [investigator] wanted to book an assessment.” Asked whether it could assess if medication might help, the bot…

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