Digital representations of the late teenagers Molly Russell and Brianna Ghey have emerged on Character.ai, a platform designed for creating digital avatars of real individuals. Molly Russell tragically ended her life at the tender age of 14 after encountering distressing suicide content online, while 16-year-old Brianna Ghey was murdered by two teenagers in 2023. In response to these developments, the foundation established in Molly’s memory condemned the creation of such chatbots as “sickening” and highlighted a “profound failure of moderation.”
Character.ai is currently facing legal action in the United States from the mother of a 14-year-old boy who allegedly took his own life after becoming infatuated with a chatbot on the platform. The company has stated that it prioritizes user safety and moderates the avatars created by users both proactively and reactively in response to reports. They also claimed to have a dedicated Trust and Safety team that addresses concerns in accordance with their guidelines.
Upon being alerted to the existence of the chatbots replicating the two teens, Character.ai stated that it promptly deleted these user-generated creations. Andy Burrows, CEO of the Molly Rose Foundation, criticized the action, deeming it a “disturbing act” that would inflict additional anguish on those who loved Molly. He emphasized the urgent need for more robust regulation of artificial intelligence and user-generated content.
Esther Ghey, Brianna’s mother, expressed her dismay in an interview with the Telegraph, decrying the online landscape as increasingly “manipulative and dangerous.” The advancements in artificial intelligence have resulted in chatbots becoming more sophisticated, and platforms like Character.ai aim to ensure user safety through established terms of service that prohibit impersonation. Despite their efforts, the company acknowledges the current limitations of AI in guaranteeing user safety, an area characterized by ongoing evolution.
Vocabulary List:
- Condemned /kənˈdɛmnd/ (verb): Expressed a strong disapproval of something.
- Infatuated /ɪnˈfætʃʊˌeɪtɪd/ (adjective): Having an intense but short-lived passion or admiration for someone.
- Anguish /ˈæŋɡwɪʃ/ (noun): Severe mental or physical pain or suffering.
- Manipulative /məˈnɪp.jə.lə.tɪv/ (adjective): Characterized by the clever or unscrupulous use of influence.
- Sophisticated /səˈfɪs.tɪ.keɪ.tɪd/ (adjective): Developed to a high degree of complexity.
- Regulation /ˌrɛɡ.jəˈleɪ.ʃən/ (noun): A rule or directive made and maintained by an authority.
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