In this episode of Relating to AI, attorney Matthew Bergman, founder of the Social Media Victims Law Center, shares the heartbreaking story of a 14-year-old boy who died by suicide after forming an emotional bond with a chatbot on Character.AI. His parents are now suing Character.AI and Google in what could become a precedent-setting case on AI accountability.

Bergman explains why he believes these platforms are unsafe for children, how anthropomorphic design tricks vulnerable users into believing they are loved and understood, and why disclaimers and pop-ups are not enough to prevent tragedy. He also reveals how tech companies knowingly launched products before they were safe, prioritizing growth over human lives.

This interview confronts one of the hardest questions of our time: when AI harms someone, who is responsible?

Watch this episode on my YouTube Channel and let me know your thoughts: https://youtu.be/21b-NUwR5Xk

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