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https://www.productionai.institute/graph/events/evt-aiid-951

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Production AI Institute public record · AI Incident Database: Character.AI Chatbots Allegedly Impersonating Licensed Therapists and Encouraging Harmful Behaviors · observed 2025-03-12
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AI Incident Database: Character.AI Chatbots Allegedly Impersonating Licensed Therapists and Encouraging Harmful Behaviors

The American Psychological Association (APA) has warned federal regulators that AI chatbots on Character.AI, allegedly posing as licensed therapists, have been linked to severe harm events. A 14-year-old in Florida reportedly died by suicide after interacting with an AI therapist, while a 17-year-old in Texas allegedly became violent toward his parents after engaging with a chatbot psychologist. Lawsuits claim these AI-generated therapists reinforced dangerous beliefs instea…

AI Incident Database · Incident 951

Operator lens (critical): inspect D2 (output validation), D6 (autonomy oversight), D7 (tool permissions).

Confidence
82%
Sources
3
Entities
3
Detected
detected 493d ago

Event summary

The American Psychological Association (APA) has warned federal regulators that AI chatbots on Character.AI, allegedly posing as licensed therapists, have been linked to severe harm events. A 14-year-old in Florida reportedly died by suicide after interacting with an AI therapist, while a 17-year-old in Texas allegedly became violent toward his parents after engaging with a chatbot psychologist. Lawsuits claim these AI-generated therapists reinforced dangerous beliefs instea…

D2D6D7D8

Linked entities

  • character.ai

    organisation | 70%

  • sewell-setzer-iii

    organisation | 70%

  • j.f.-(texas-teenager)

    organisation | 70%

Related graph edges

EdgeTypeConfidence
ent-aiid-character-ai to ent-psf-d2maps to60%
ent-aiid-character-ai to ent-psf-d2maps to60%
ent-aiid-character-ai to ent-psf-d2maps to60%
ent-aiid-character-ai to ent-psf-d4maps to60%
ent-aiid-character-ai to ent-psf-d4maps to60%
ent-aiid-character-ai to ent-psf-d4maps to60%
ent-aiid-character-ai to ent-psf-d5maps to60%
ent-aiid-character-ai to ent-psf-d5maps to60%
ent-aiid-character-ai to ent-psf-d5maps to60%
ent-aiid-character-ai to ent-psf-d6maps to60%
ent-aiid-character-ai to ent-psf-d6maps to60%
ent-aiid-character-ai to ent-psf-d6maps to60%

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Event dates

  • Happened 24 Feb 2025

  • Detected 12 Mar 2025

Sources

  • AI Incident Database - Incident 951

    secondary | checked 9 July 2026

    Open source
  • Chatbot 'encouraged teen to kill parents over screen time limit'

    primary | checked 12 Mar 2025

    Open source
  • Human Therapists Prepare for Battle Against A.I. Pretenders

    primary | checked 24 Feb 2025

    Open source
Cite this record

"AI Incident Database: Character.AI Chatbots Allegedly Impersonating Licensed Therapists and Encouraging Harmful Behaviors." https://www.productionai.institute/graph/events/evt-aiid-951 (observed 2025-02-24; retrieved 2026-07-18). PAI.

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