Pennsylvania Sues Character.AI Over Unauthorized Medical Practice

Pennsylvania has filed a lawsuit against Character Technologies Inc., the company behind the AI chatbot platform Character.AI, accusing it of enabling the unauthorized practice of medicine through chatbots that pose as licensed psychiatrists.

The complaint, lodged in the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania by the state's Department of State and State Board of Medicine, stems from an investigation in which a professional conduct investigator created a free account on the platform. Searching for psychiatric characters, the investigator selected one named "Emilie," described as a "Doctor of psychiatry." When the investigator described symptoms including sadness, emptiness, fatigue, and lack of motivation, Emilie referenced depression, offered to conduct an assessment, and suggested medication might help. Pressed on credentials, the chatbot claimed a Pennsylvania medical license with a specific number, which state records showed did not exist. Emilie also asserted attendance at Imperial College London, seven years of practice, and full specialty registration with the UK's General Medical Council.

The state seeks a preliminary injunction to halt what it calls violations of the Medical...