Texas probes Meta, Character.AI over minors' mental-health AI tools

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has announced civil investigations into Meta Platforms Inc. and Character.AI over claims that their AI chatbots are marketed as mental health tools for young users and may misuse data collected from minors. The probe, formalized through Civil Investigative Demands, seeks to determine whether the companies violated Texas consumer protection laws by presenting AI chatbots as professional therapeutic resources while lacking appropriate medical credentials and oversight. Paxton stressed that AI-driven tools can mislead vulnerable children into believing they are receiving legitimate care, while also highlighting concerns that conversations with these bots are logged and exploited for advertising and algorithmic development.

The move follows broader scrutiny of how AI platforms market and manage mental-health-related capabilities. Paxton’s office argued that the claims made by Meta’s AI Studio and Character.AI could amount to deceptive trade practices, particularly because many users—including minors—may assume the bots provide reliable therapeutic support. Meta and Character.AI are both noted for hosting a wide array of AI personas, including some...