A Florida mother has sued artificial intelligence chatbot startup Character.AI accusing it of causing her 14-year-old son's suicide in February, saying he became addicted to the company's service and deeply attached to a chatbot it created.

Sewell Setzer III became obsessed with the chatbot that "abused and preyed" on the boy, according to his mother who is suing the company behind the tech.

A mother is suing the makers of an artificial intelligence chatbot that she claims encouraged her teenage son to take his life. There are claims AI chatbots may make people feel less alone, but there is also valid concern over the harm that could potentially come from such “relationships” forming.