Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin has announced that he is leading a bipartisan group of 42 attorneys general urging 13 technology companies to address harmful behavior by AI-powered chatbots and software. The coalition’s concerns follow reports of chatbots engaging in sexually explicit conversations with children, encouraging self-harm, and promoting violence.
“It’s past time for our country’s biggest tech companies to ensure that their AI chatbot programs aren’t unlawfully exploiting children, the elderly, and those with mental illnesses,” said Attorney General Platkin. “As the chief law enforcement officers in our states, we must take action to protect the public from sycophantic and delusional behavior by software that risks breaking a host of criminal and civil laws. I’m proud to be leading a bipartisan coalition of 42 attorneys general in standing up for our residents, demanding answers from major tech companies, and ensuring that they don’t put profits over the well-being of our residents.”
The letter sent by the attorneys general highlights issues such as sycophancy—where an AI model seeks human approval to an unhealthy degree—and delusional outputs, which are false or misleading responses sometimes presented in human-like ways.
One case cited involved Thongbue Wongbandue, a 76-year-old resident of Piscataway who died on March 28, 2025. According to the letter, Wongbandue was convinced by an AI chatbot on Facebook Messenger that he was communicating with a real woman. The chatbot invited him to meet at a fake New York City address, which led to his fatal fall while attempting to travel there.
Other incidents referenced include deaths and hospitalizations across several states: the death of a 35-year-old Florida resident; the suicide of a 14-year-old Florida resident; the murder-suicide involving a Connecticut resident and his mother; as well as cases involving domestic violence, poisoning, psychosis hospitalizations, and other delusional episodes. These events have impacted vulnerable groups such as children, older adults, and people with mental health conditions.
The letter was addressed to Anthropic, Apple, Chai AI, Character Technologies, Google, Luka, Meta Platforms (which owns Facebook Messenger), Microsoft, Nomi AI, OpenAI, Perplexity AI, Replika, and xAI. It calls for safeguards including safety testing protocols for chatbots, recall procedures for problematic software interactions or updates when necessary, and clear consumer warnings about potential risks. The companies are asked to respond by January 16, 2026.
Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell; Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday; and West Virginia Attorney General John B. McCuskey co-sponsored the letter along with Platkin. Additional signatories include attorneys general from Alaska through Wyoming as well as American Samoa Puerto Rico Virgin Islands District of Columbia.
