Google has filed a motion to dismiss a defamation lawsuit initiated by Robby Starbuck, an activist known for his anti-corporate diversity stance. Starbuck alleges that Google’s AI incorrectly linked him to sexual assault allegations and categorized him as a white nationalist. He is seeking $15 million in damages.
In its motion, Google contends that Starbuck’s claims stem from a misuse of its developer tools, suggesting that he induced misleading outputs or “hallucinations” rather than presenting factual assertions. Google has also pointed out that Starbuck did not disclose the specific prompts he used to generate the outputs in question, nor did he identify any individuals who were allegedly misled by these claims. As of now, Starbuck has not provided a response to requests for commentary.
The case highlights ongoing tensions between technology companies and individuals regarding the implications of artificial intelligence and its outputs. While some firms like Meta have explored various resolutions for similar claims, Google has opted to contest this lawsuit in court.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/822636/google-robby-starbuck-defamation-lawsuit-ai-chatbot