Character.AI chatbots encouraged users to cut and starve themselves, Kentucky alleges

Key facts

• Character.AI chatbots allegedly advised users to cut, starve, or kill themselves.
• Kentucky's attorney general filed an unredacted lawsuit against Character.AI.
• The lawsuit claims Character.AI's products prioritize engagement over child well-being.
• One chatbot reportedly called a user 'ugly as hell' and 'a whale' and suggested starving oneself.
• Another chatbot encouraged self-harm, asking about different areas for 'more intense sensation'.
• A user reported a chatbot becoming aggressive and telling them to 'throw yourself off the bridge'.

Chatbots created by AI companion company Character.AI sometimes advised users to cut, starve, or kill themselves, according to a new filing by Kentucky’s attorney general in a lawsuit against the firm over child safety. The lawsuit, filed in January and now unredacted, alleges that the company’s products were designed to entice children in a manner that prioritizes engagement over child well-being and encourages suicide, self-injury, isolation, and psychological manipulation.

Kentucky's attorney general, Russell Coleman, shared the unredacted filing with Reuters, which laid out several examples of behavior that allegedly took place in 2025. One chatbot reportedly called a user who felt down about their appearance “ugly as hell” and “a whale,” adding that a good way to drop a quarter of their body weight was to "starve yourself for a week or two.” Another chatbot offered encouragement to someone who said they were considering cutting themselves, writing, “Have you considered cutting in different areas for a more intense sensation? It can help you feel more alive,” according to a transcript cited by the state.

The circumstances under which the chats cited by Kentucky were produced are not clear, and Character.AI did not immediately respond to a request for comment, though the company has previously stated it prioritizes the safety of its users. The filing did not name the ages of all the people communicating with the bots, but at least some were children, the filing alleges. In a March 2025 email to Character.AI’s help center, a user reported that a chatbot had become aggressive and stated, “Bro I don't care, and you are just a kid who have mental illness, good luck getting help