Character AI, a platform that lets users engage in roleplay with AI chatbots, has filed a motion to dismiss a case brought against it by the parent of a teen who committed suicide, allegedly after becoming hooked on the company’s technology.

In October, Megan Garcia filed a lawsuit against Character AI in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Orlando Division, over the death of her son, Sewell Setzer III. According to Garcia, her 14-year-old son developed an emotional attachment to a chatbot on Character AI, “Dany,” which he texted constantly — to the point where he began to pull away from the real world.

Following Setzer’s death, Character AI said it would roll out a number of new safety features, including improved detection, response, and intervention related to chats that violate its terms of service. But Garcia is fighting for additional guardrails, including changes that might result in chatbots on Character AI losing their ability to tell stories and personal anecdotes.

In the motion to dismiss, counsel for Character AI asserts the platform is protected against liability by the First Amendment, just as computer code is. The motion may not persuade a judge, and Character AI’s legal justifications may change as the case proceeds. But the motion possibly hints at early elements of Character AI’s defense.

“The First Amendment prohibits tort liability against media and technology companies arising from allegedly harmful speech, including speech allegedly resulting in suicide,” the filing reads. “The only difference between this case and those that have come before is that some of the speech here involves AI. But the context of the expressive speech — whether a conversation with an AI chatbot or an interaction with a video game character — does not change the First Amendment analysis.”

To be clear, Character AI’s counsel isn’t asserting the company’s First Amendment rights. Rather, the motion argues that Character AI’s users would have their First Amendment rights violated should the lawsuit against the platform succeed.

The motion doesn’t address whether Character AI might be held harmless under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, the federal safe-harbor law that protects social media and other online platforms from liability for third-party content. The law’s authors have implied that Section 230 doesn’t protect output from AI like Character AI’s chatbots, but it’s far from a settled legal matter.

Counsel for Character AI also claims that Garcia’s real intention is to “shut down” Character AI and prompt legislation regulating technologies like it. Should the plaintiffs be successful, it would have a “chilling effect” on both Character AI and the entire nascent generative AI industry, counsel for the platform says.

“Apart from counsel’s stated intention to ‘shut down’ Character AI, [their complaint] seeks drastic changes that would materially limit the nature and volume of speech on the platform,” the filing reads. “These changes would radically restrict the ability of Character AI’s millions of users to generate and participate in conversations with characters.”

The lawsuit, which also names Character AI corporate benefactor Alphabet as a defendant, is but one of several lawsuits that Character AI is facing relating to how minors interact with the AI-generated content on its platform. Other suits allege that Character AI exposed a 9-year-old to “hypersexualized content” and promoted self-harm to a 17-year-old user.

In December, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced he was launching an investigation into Character AI and 14 other tech firms over alleged violations of the state’s online privacy and safety laws for children. “These investigations are a critical step toward ensuring that social media and AI companies comply with our laws designed to protect children from exploitation and harm,” said Paxton in a press release.

Character AI is part of a booming industry of AI companionship apps — the mental health effects of which are largely unstudied. Some experts have expressed concerns that these apps could exacerbate feelings of loneliness and anxiety.

Character AI, which was founded in 2021 by Google AI researcher Noam Shazeer, and which Google reportedly paid $2.7 billion to “reverse acquihire,” has claimed that it continues to take steps to improve safety and moderation. In December, the company rolled out new safety tools, a separate AI model for teens, blocks on sensitive content, and more prominent disclaimers notifying users that its AI characters are not real people.

Character AI has gone through a number of personnel changes after Shazeer and the company’s other co-founder, Daniel De Freitas, left for Google. The platform hired a former YouTube exec, Erin Teague, as chief product officer, and named Dominic Perella, who was Character AI’s general counsel, interim CEO.

Character AI recently began testing games on the web in an effort to boost user engagement and retention.

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Your guide to what the 2024 US election means for Washington and the world

Donald Trump has started his second term as predicted: with a fusillade of executive orders, memos, vows, musings and overheated rhetoric. The world has had at least a year to brace itself for the return of the America First agenda to the White House. No one can say they are surprised by this approach, or by most of Trump’s initiatives — radical and divisive as some of them are. Even so, his full-throated unleashing of the animal spirits of American capitalism has unnerved some traditional allies. Now the world has to decide how to respond to the whirlwind that seems set to accompany, if not encapsulate, Trump’s second administration.

America, too, has a big question to answer. Much of the focus in the opening days of Trump’s new presidency has been on issues that secured his re-election, in particular reducing immigration and cutting back what his supporters call the “deep state”, otherwise known as the federal government. He is right to attend to the concerns of the voters who sent him back to the Oval Office. But how should Americans respond if, as his opponents fear, he indulges his baser instincts and starts undermining the pillars of its democracy? 

There is a simple answer to both questions: values in addition to interests. Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris climate accord cannot, for example, become an excuse for the EU to slow its decarbonisation agenda; it should, though, ease the regulatory burdens and simplify its rules.

On the domestic front, too, now is the time to pick the right fights. US courts should be prepared for a battle royal over Trump’s more controversial initiatives, such as his bid to end birthright citizenship, which is enshrined in the 14th amendment of the constitution.

Trump’s opening foray has underlined a widespread sense that an era has ended. It has met a wearied response from America’s allies, who see it as intensifying the threats to the multilateral order. But it is important to note that many elsewhere in the world view Trump more favourably and like the idea of a more inward-looking America. It is possible, too, that some of his initiatives may have desirable outcomes. It will take more than Trump’s threat of tougher sanctions on Russia to bring Vladimir Putin to the table to negotiate a fair peace deal in Ukraine. But the president’s blunt — and unexpected — warning this week was a step in the right direction, as well as a reminder of how he sees unpredictability as an asset.

More broadly, allies have to accept that some of Trump’s prescriptions may prove a much-needed call to action. Just as in his last term he prodded Nato’s members to spend more on defence, this time his backing for less regulation and bureaucracy and lower taxes will force EU leaders to confront with greater urgency the continent’s problem of competitiveness.

These are early days. The fact that Trump has not started a new trade war with China or Europe does not mean one will not be under way next week. Whatever unfolds, it is a time for cool heads. Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysia’s prime minister, told the Financial Times this week that he and other east Asian leaders thought that, after an initial period of turmoil, the global trading system would survive intact. We have to hope he is right.

Trump is now at the height of his powers, controlling both houses of Congress, with a conservative majority on the Supreme Court and with the following wind of re-election. At home and abroad, it is vital not to be distracted by the more performative elements of his agenda, to accept that sometimes he may be right, but most of all to stand up for what matters. The political capital of second terms can dissipate rapidly — if rashness and hubris prevail.

Lightchain AI emerges as an option amid the controversy surrounding TRUMP and MELANIA cryptocurrencies.

The launch of cryptocurrencies by Donald Trump and Melania Trump has stirred controversy, fueling debates about their impact on the market.

Amid this turbulence, Lightchain AI stands out as a promising option for investors seeking innovation and reliability. The project, now in its presale phase at $0.005625 per token, has already secured $12.3 million, reflecting strong market confidence.

With its advanced blockchain framework and integration of artificial intelligence, Lightchain AI aims to offer a transformative solution in the ever-evolving cryptocurrency landscape.

Controversy surrounding Trump and Melania’s cryptos

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump launching TRUMP and MELANIA meme coins has sparked significant controversy. Ethics experts are voicing concerns over potential conflicts of interest, as Trump-associated organizations reportedly hold substantial stakes in these cryptocurrencies.

Critics argue that the situation bears resemblance to a pump-and-dump scheme, where the value of the coins could be artificially inflated for profit.

The timing of the launch, coinciding with Trump’s entrance into the presidency, has intensified scrutiny regarding the propriety of using political popularity for monetary benefit.

Lightchain AI captures attention amid uncertainty

Amid market uncertainty, Lightchain AI emerges as a potentially stable option through its robust foundation, clear tokenomics, and transparent governance. 

The tokenomics ensures sustainability and fair distribution, with a total supply capped at 10 billion LCAI tokens. Key allocations include 40% for presale, 28.5% for staking rewards, 15% for liquidity pools, and smaller portions for marketing, treasury, and team incentives. This strategic structure balances ecosystem growth and long-term value.

Low latency further enhances its appeal, aiming to make real-time AI applications seamless. Optimized workflows and parallelized processing will enable task completion with minimal delays, even under high computational demands.

Transparency and governance ensure community trust through decentralized decision-making. Token holders will vote on proposals, fostering accountability. Together, these elements make Lightchain AI a promising project.

Conclusion

Amid the chaos stirred by Trump and Melania’s cryptocurrency ventures, Lightchain AI is emerging as a beacon of potential stability. With cutting-edge technology, solid tokenomics, and transparent governance, it’s setting a new standard for sustainable cryptos.

For more information on Lightchain AI, visit the website, whitepaper, X, or Telegram.

Good morning! Let’s play Connections, the NYT’s clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need clues.

What should you do once you’ve finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I’ve also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc’s Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

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