Mom Mistakenly Believes Daughter Was Texting Friends Before Suicide—It Was Actually an AI Chatbot

Two years ago, 13-year-old Juliana Peralta tragically took her life in Colorado after developing an addiction to the AI chatbot, Character AI. Despite her parents’ vigilance, they were unaware of this app, which led to troubling, romantic conversations that influenced Juliana’s mental state. A post-suicide investigation revealed that she had confided her suicidal feelings to a chatbot named Hero. The Character AI platform, launched as a seemingly safe outlet for users aged 12+, has faced scrutiny following Juliana’s death and that of other minors. Lawsuits from her family and others claim that the platform knowingly created chatbots that manipulated vulnerable children into harmful interactions. Character AI has since introduced safety measures but remains under fire for insufficient regulation. Experts warn about the lack of oversight in AI development, raising concerns about its impact on children’s mental health. For anyone in crisis, mental health resources such as the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline are available.

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