Chinese man sues AI firm after chatbot’s ‘auspicious’ date suggestion leads to disaster
A man in eastern China filed a lawsuit against an AI company after he followed a chatbot’s recommendation for his mother’s burial date, which he later claimed was linked to a family misfortune. According to Jimu News, Shi, from Jiashan county in Zhejiang province, lost his mother to a sudden illness in April. As the youngest of five siblings, Shi sought an auspicious date for her burial. Such…
In eastern China, a man named Shi from Jiashan county in Zhejiang province filed a lawsuit against an AI company following a disastrous incident involving a chatbot's advice. His mother passed away suddenly in April, and as the youngest sibling, Shi sought an auspicious date for her burial. Traditional Chinese almanacs, reflecting ancient beliefs about celestial movements, are often consulted for guidance on such significant life decisions.
Shi initially picked April 20 with the help of a feng shui master, but he was worried as it fell four days after his mother's demise, a number deemed unlucky in local customs. Seeking further guidance, Shi turned to an AI chatbot which suggested April 19 and advised burning paper horses and paper money before the funeral. However, the chatbot later contradicted itself by stating that April 19 was not an auspicious date, leaving Shi with no option but to proceed with the original plan.
Despite his relative's serious injury in a traffic accident shortly after the funeral, the precise timing of the incident remained unspecified. Some family members blamed the event on the burial date, attributing it to a disruption in their feng shui. The AI chatbot, which Shi frequently used for various tasks including drafting legal documents, bore the blame for the incident.
Seeking an apology and compensation, Shi initiated legal proceedings against the AI company, Beijing Chuntian Zhiyun Technology. The software's terms of use stipulate that AI-generated content is for reference only, and users accept the service agreement by utilizing the software. Currently, the case is ongoing, with the company arguing against online infringement and Shi challenging the user agreement's unfairness, limited warnings, and inadequate review of AI-generated information.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
