Google seeks dismissal of defamation lawsuit in the US
What's the story
Google has filed a motion to dismiss a defamation lawsuit brought by US-based conservative influencer Robby Starbuck. The tech giant argued that Starbuck had intentionally misused its artificial intelligence (AI) systems to create the alleged defamatory statements. The company also claimed that the lawsuit "fails to name a single person who was actually misled."
Accusations
Starbuck's allegations against Google's AI systems
Starbuck had sued Google last month, alleging its AI chatbots spread "outrageously false" information about him. The claims included accusations of spousal abuse, participation in the January 6 Capitol riots, and being named in Jeffrey Epstein's files. Starbuck, known for his opposition to diversity and inclusion initiatives, said these false claims had been believed by some people and could increase threats against him.
Legal response
Google's defense and request for dismissal
In its defense, Google said Starbuck's complaint should be dismissed as he didn't prove any third party saw or believed the alleged defamation. The company also argued that Starbuck didn't establish that Google acted with the "actual malice" needed to defame a public figure. This was part of Google's motion to dismiss the case filed in a Delaware state court.
Past case
Starbuck's previous lawsuit against Meta
Notably, Starbuck had filed a similar lawsuit against Meta Platforms in April. The case was settled in August, after which he consulted the company on AI bias. The present case against Google is Starbuck v. Google LLC, Superior Court of the State of Delaware, No. N25C-10-211 and is being represented by John-Paul Deol and Jesse Franklin-Murdock from Dhillon Law Group.