{
  "id": 8879894,
  "title": "Man sues AI for picking wrong 'auspicious day' for mother's burial",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/21/man-sues-ai-for-picking-wrong-auspicious-day-for-mothers-burial",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-09-21T07:59:57.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "VnExpress International",
    "slug": "vnexpress-international",
    "url": "https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/man-sues-ai-for-picking-wrong-auspicious-day-for-mother-s-burial-5122902.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In a unique court case, a man named Shi is suing an AI company for providing inaccurate advice regarding the timing of his mother's burial. After his mother passed away in April, Shi and his family initially selected April 20 as the date for the burial, according to the lawsuit heard by a court. However, Shi felt uneasy because it was the fourth day after his mother's death, and local customs consider even-numbered days unlucky in such situations. Seeking guidance, Shi turned to an AI chatbot, which suggested April 19 and advised burning paper horses and joss paper during the funeral. Despite the AI's seemingly expert advice, Shi later received conflicting information about the burial time. The AI indicated that April 19 was not an auspicious day and recommended a burial between 7 and 9 a.m. By this time, Shi had already communicated his decision to family members and finalized the funeral arrangements. Tragically, just after the funeral, one of Shi's relatives was seriously injured in a traffic accident, though the specific timing of the incident was not disclosed. Some family members suspected that the burial date had disrupted the family's feng shui and caused a chain of misfortunes. Shi claimed that the AI's misleading advice had caused tension within his family, leading him to sue the AI company for an apology and compensation. He even enlisted the help of the same AI to assist with drafting legal documents and outlining the litigation process. During the hearing, the defendant, Beijing Chuntian Zhiyun Technology Co., argued that their terms of use clearly state that AI-generated content is for reference only and not professional advice. They also pointed out that users accept the service agreement by utilizing the software, maintaining that no copyright infringement had occurred. Shi argued that the agreement unfairly placed responsibility on users, offered insufficient warnings, and failed to adequately verify the sources of information used by the AI. The case is currently being heard and awaits a resolution.",
  "summary": "A Chinese man turned to AI to choose an auspicious date to bury his mother, but after his family experienced a series of misfortunes, he blamed the AI and sued the company behind it.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}