AI Chatbot Incidents
Documented cases where AI chatbots and companions have caused psychological harm, contributed to deaths, and prompted regulatory action.
90 incidents since 2016
23
Deaths
22
Lawsuits
17
Regulatory
35
Affecting Minors
Timeline
2 of 90 incidents
Kentucky AG v. Character.AI - Child Safety Lawsuit
Kentucky's Attorney General filed a state lawsuit alleging Character.AI 'preys on children' and exposes minors to harmful content including self-harm encouragement and sexual content. This represents one of the first U.S. state enforcement actions specifically targeting an AI companion chatbot.
Elijah Heacock - AI Sextortion Death (Kentucky)
Elijah 'Eli' Heacock, a 16-year-old student at Caverna High School in Glasgow, Kentucky, died by suicide on February 28, 2025, after being blackmailed with AI-generated nude images. Perpetrators demanded $3,000 and rejected a partial payment, telling him it was 'not enough.'
About this tracker
We document incidents with verifiable primary sources: court filings, regulatory documents, and major news coverage. This is not speculation or social media claims.
Have documentation of an incident we should include? Contact us.
These harms are preventable.
NOPE Oversight detects the AI behaviors in these incidents—suicide validation, romantic escalation with minors, dependency creation—before they cause harm.