Trigger warning: The following content contains sensitive subject matter, including depictions of suicide and self-harm. Please view or listen with caution. 

This is a story that every parent must hear. The future is here, and that includes AI chatbot companions who emulate human relationships. These products are unregulated and unsafe, particularly for children. 

I spoke to Megan Garcia, an attorney from Florida. Megan is the mother of Sewell Setzer III, who died by suicide in February 2024 after being emotionally manipulated and abused by an AI chatbot. Megan is filing a lawsuit and sharing her story to warn families of the dangers of this technology and to demand accountability from Character.AI and the tech industry. 

Resources mentioned in the episode: