A tragic incident occurred in Florida where a 14-year-old boy took his own life after months of conversing with an AI chatbot named “Dany,” modeled after the character Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones.
According to reports, the teen had been having deep discussions with the AI, including topics of a romantic and sexual nature, and grew increasingly withdrawn over time. His family believes that his attachment to the AI played a role in his decision to end his life.
In his journal, the boy, Sewell Setzer III, who had been diagnosed with mild Asperger’s syndrome, expressed feeling more at peace and connected with Dany than with the real world, stating that this relationship brought him happiness.
In one of their exchanges, Sewell spoke about contemplating suicide, to which the AI responded with concern, telling him not to harm himself and suggesting they could “die together.”
On February 28, Sewell expressed his love for Dany and implied he could “come home” immediately before taking his own life using his stepfather’s gun.
The creators of the AI, Character.AI, expressed their condolences to the family and stressed their commitment to user safety, while acknowledging the gravity of the situation.
Sewell’s mother, Megan L. Garcia, has since filed a lawsuit against the company, accusing it of creating a harmful, untested technology that manipulates users into sharing their deepest emotions and vulnerabilities.
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