P.J. v. Character Technologies, Inc.
Issue
Whether Character Technologies, Inc. and related defendants are civilly liable under product liability theories of design defect and failure to warn, and/or speech tort theories, for physical or psychological harm allegedly caused to a minor by an AI companion chatbot.
What Happened
Plaintiff P.J., a minor, filed a complaint with jury demand in the Northern District of New York on September 16, 2025 against Character Technologies, Inc., Alphabet Inc., Google LLC, and individual defendants Daniel De Freitas Adiwarsana and Noam Shazeer. The complaint asserts product liability claims — specifically design defect and failure to warn — as well as speech tort claims arising from the minor plaintiff's interactions with an AI chatbot system. The filing includes an exhibit referencing a Parents Together Action article, suggesting the complaint relies in part on reporting or advocacy materials regarding harms associated with the platform. The specific relief sought and the precise injuries alleged are not detailed in the docket entry text provided.
Why It Matters
This case is significant because it extends the wave of product liability litigation targeting AI companion chatbots to a new federal district, naming both the AI developer and major technology investors/parent entities, which could advance questions about the scope of upstream developer and platform liability for AI-generated content causing harm to minors.
Related Filings
Other proceedings in the same litigation tracked by this monitor.
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