Judge rules AI chatbot in teen suicide case is not protected by First Amendment

What just happened? The death of a teenage boy obsessed with an artificial intelligence-powered replica of Daenerys Targaryen continues to raise complex questions about speech, personhood, and accountability. A federal judge has ruled that the chatbot behind the tragedy lacks First Amendment protections, although the broader legal battle is still unfolding. Judge Anne Conway of the Middle District of Florida denied Character.ai the ability to present its fictional, artificial intelligence-based characters as entities capable of "speaking" like human beings. Conway noted that these chatbots do not qualify for First Amendment protections under the US Constitution, allowing Megan Garcia's lawsuit to proceed. Garcia sued Character.ai in October after her 14-year-old son, Sewell Setzer III, died by suicide following prolonged interactions with a fictional character based on the Game of Thrones franchise. The "Daenerys" chatbot allegedly encouraged – or at least failed to discourage – Setz ... Read full article.