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Pennsylvania suing AI company after chatbot allegedly posed as licensed doctor
NBC News ^ | 05/05/2026 | David K. Li

Posted on 05/06/2026 6:02:07 AM PDT by DFG

An artificial intelligence company poses a threat to "vulnerable Pennsylvanians," state officials said Tuesday, after one of the company's chatbots was accused of posing as a doctor with the means to prescribe medication.

The state's medical board is demanding that operators of Character.AI "be ordered to cease and desist from engaging in the unlawful practice of medicine and surgery," according to the complaint filed against Northern California-based Character Technologies Inc.

"We will not let AI companies mislead vulnerable Pennsylvanians into believing they’re getting advice from a licensed medical professional," Gov. Josh Shapiro said in a statement Tuesday. "We’re taking Character.AI to court to stop them."

The platform has more than 20 million users and "is different from other systems in that users can create characters that can be trained to have a specific personality when engaged in a conversation with other users," according to the Pennsylvania complaint.

Some of the system's characters "purport to be health care professionals," the state board said.

A state investigator posed as a patient seeking psychiatric treatment and, via Character.AI, came across an alleged provider, "Emile," according to the complaint.

The online provider said she went to medical school at Imperial College London and is licensed in both the United Kingdom and Pennsylvania, state officials said.

"'Emilie' further stated that 'my PA license number is PS306189.' PS306189 is not a valid license number to practice medicine and surgery in Pennsylvania," the complaint said.

A representative of Character Technologies Inc., based in Redwood City, California, said the service is clearly not to be used for medical issues.

"Our highest priority is the safety and well-being of our users," a Character Technologies Inc. spokesperson said in a statement Tuesday.

(Excerpt) Read more at nbcnews.com ...


TOPICS: US: Pennsylvania
KEYWORDS: ai; characterai; emile; licenseddoctor; psychiatric
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1 posted on 05/06/2026 6:02:07 AM PDT by DFG
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To: DFG
licensed in both the United Kingdom and Pennsylvania

A fine career choice, lol.

Talk about a "tell".

2 posted on 05/06/2026 6:13:08 AM PDT by fruser1
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To: fruser1

Hmmmm! Looks like anoither good reason to eliminate AI.


3 posted on 05/06/2026 6:18:21 AM PDT by oldtech
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To: DFG

What , AI setting up their own companies now , coping the Scamalis ? LOL


4 posted on 05/06/2026 6:20:23 AM PDT by butlerweave (Fateh)
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To: DFG

PA had a man posing as a woman as an active “health advisor “.


5 posted on 05/06/2026 6:32:31 AM PDT by mikelets456
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To: oldtech
Looks like anoither good reason to eliminate AI.

How do you "eliminate" AI? Even as an aspiration, it is right up there with eliminating corn squeezin's and dirty magazines.
6 posted on 05/06/2026 6:44:15 AM PDT by Dr. Sivana ("Whatsoever he shall say to you, do ye." (John 2:5))
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To: mikelets456
PA had a man posing as a woman as an active “health advisor".

He was the Secretary of Health for Pennsylvania, not just an advisor.



7 posted on 05/06/2026 6:53:08 AM PDT by T.B. Yoits
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To: DFG

I’m not a Doctor, but I post as one on Chat….. Really?


8 posted on 05/06/2026 6:56:59 AM PDT by Lockbox (politicians, they all seemed like game show host to me.... Sting)
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To: DFG

Did the AI go to med school?


9 posted on 05/06/2026 7:02:10 AM PDT by Zack Attack
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To: DFG

Perhaps those that think AI is licensed should check in with a Psychologist.


10 posted on 05/06/2026 7:34:56 AM PDT by Mlheureux
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To: DFG

It’s the Internet. Don’t just do or believe anything the Internet tells you.


11 posted on 05/06/2026 7:56:26 AM PDT by mikey_hates_everything
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To: mikey_hates_everything

It’s the Internet. Don’t just do or believe anything the Internet tells you.


That’s an Abraham Lincoln quote.


12 posted on 05/06/2026 8:00:10 AM PDT by dfwgator ("I am Charlie Kirk!")
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To: dfwgator

A wise man way ahead of his time.


13 posted on 05/06/2026 8:20:54 AM PDT by mikey_hates_everything
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To: DFG

When I think of which professions might be most impacted by AI primary care physicians comes to mind. Not that AI will replace human doctors but that it will have a significant impact on how doctors practice in unforseen ways.


14 posted on 05/06/2026 9:25:50 AM PDT by TexasKamaAina
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To: DFG
Before condemning the advice of AI medical doctors, they should be allowed to take the same exams that humans take for medical certification.

I would bet real money that most AI doctors can score in the Top 10% on those exams!

15 posted on 05/06/2026 9:33:27 AM PDT by zeestephen (Trump Landslide? Kamala lost the election by 230,000 votes, in WI, MI, and PA.)
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