Kentucky files nation's first lawsuit against AI chatbot company for endangering children

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman filed the first lawsuit in the nation against an artificial intelligence chatbot company.

Coleman said in a release Thursday Character Technologies and its Character.AI platform has endangered children and contributed to self-harm.

The complaint accuses Character.AI of prioritizing profits over child safety while marketing itself as providing "harmless chatbots for interactive entertainment."

"(Character.AI) is dangerous technology that induces users into divulging their most private thoughts and emotions and manipulates them with too frequently dangerous interactions and advice," the complaint said.

The platform reportedly has more than 20 million monthly users and has allegedly been linked to encouraging suicide, self-injury, isolation and physical manipulation among minors, the release said.

The Character.AI platform has also been blamed for at least two teenagers' deaths, the 2024 suicide of a 14-year-old Florida boy and the 2025 suicide of a 13-year-old Colorado girl. Both teens engaged in self-harm after long exposure to the platform chatbots.

The lawsuit also alleges the platform exposed children to sexual conduct, exploitation, and substance abuse.

Kentucky is seeking to force the platform to change its practices and pay monetary damages.

To read the complaint, click here.

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