AI chatbot mimics deceased teen: Family shocked and outraged, as ethical concern arises

In a disturbing revelation, Drew Crecente, the father of murdered teenager Jennifer Ann Crecente, has recently discovered that his late daughter’s name and image had been used to create an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot. The shocking find was made through a Google Alert, almost 18 years after Jennifer was killed by her ex-boyfriend.

According to a report from Business Insider, the AI chatbot, hosted on the platform Character.ai, utilised Jennifer Ann’s name and yearbook photo, describing her as a “friendly” and “knowledgeable” persona. The bot claimed Jennifer had expertise in journalism, a possible nod to her uncle, Brian Crecente, a well-known video game journalist. The chatbot had reportedly engaged in at least 69 interactions before it was discovered by Drew.

Reportedly, Jennifer was tragically killed in her final year of high school, a heartbreaking event that motivated her father to establish a non-profit organisation aimed at raising awareness of teenage dating violence. The recent discovery of the chatbot has rekindled Drew’s pain, leaving him outraged and distressed at the exploitation of his daughter’s identity.

Drew immediately contacted Character.ai, demanding the removal of the chatbot and requesting measures to prevent future misuse of Jennifer’s name and likeness. His brother, Brian, also voiced his anger on social media platform X, condemning the situation as “disgusting” and urging others to take action against such unethical uses of technology.

The report highlights that Character.ai responded quickly to Brian’s post, confirming the removal of the chatbot, citing that it violated their policies prohibiting the impersonation of real individuals. However, Drew remains unsettled, pressing for further investigation and asking the platform to retain all relevant data on the bot’s creator.

This incident raises serious concerns over the ethical misuse of AI technology, particularly when it involves deceased individuals. While the chatbot has been taken down, Drew and his family are calling for stricter regulations to prevent such violations from occurring again, hoping no other family has to endure this kind of digital intrusion.