Character.AI opens a back door to free speech rights for chatbots

Should AI chatbots have the same rights as humans? Common sense says no -- while such a far-fetched idea might make for good sci-fi, it has no place in American law. But right now, a major tech company is trying to bring that idea to life, pressing a federal court to extend legal protections historically primarily afforded to humans to the outputs of an AI bot. Character.AI, one of the leading AI companion bot apps on the market, is fighting for the dismissal of a wrongful death and product liability lawsuit concerning the death of 14-year-old Sewell Setzer III. As co-counsel to Sewell's mother, Megan Garcia, and technical advisor on the case, respectively, we've been following these motions closely and with concern.