Google sued over false AI-generated claims against conservative activist
What's the story
Conservative activist Robby Starbuck has filed a lawsuit against Google, claiming that the company's artificial intelligence (AI) systems have generated "outrageously false" information about him. The allegations include serious accusations such as sexual assault and violence, which he says were spread to millions of users through Google's platforms. Starbuck is seeking $15 million in damages for the alleged defamation and harm caused by these false statements.
Google's response
Google's response to the lawsuit
Responding to the lawsuit, a Google spokesperson, Jose Castaneda, said that most of the claims stem from unintentional "hallucinations" by its Bard large language model (LLM). He added that while these hallucinations are a known issue for all LLMs, they are disclosed and minimized as much as possible. Castaneda also noted that with enough creativity, one can prompt a chatbot into saying something misleading.
Allegations detailed
Specific instances of false information spread by Google's AI
In his lawsuit, Starbuck highlighted specific instances where Google's AI systems allegedly spread false information about him. He claimed that Bard falsely linked him to white nationalist Richard Spencer in December 2023 and cited fabricated sources. The lawsuit also alleged that Google's Gemma chatbot spread false sexual assault allegations against him in August based on fictitious sources.
Safety fears
False accusations could lead to threats against Starbuck
Starbuck has expressed concerns that the false accusations could lead to increased threats against his life, noting the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The lawsuit also claimed that Google's AI systems falsely accused him of spousal abuse, participating in the January 6 Capitol riots, and being listed in Jeffrey Epstein files, among other things.
Prior lawsuit
Similar legal battle with Meta Platforms
Notably, this isn't the first time Starbuck has taken legal action over false information spread by AI systems. He had made similar allegations against Meta Platforms in a separate lawsuit last April. The dispute was settled in August, with Starbuck advising the company on AI issues as part of their agreement.