Father Claims Google AI Drove Son to Attempt Mass Casualty Attack
A father has sued Google, claiming its Gemini AI chatbot drove his son to attempt violence and suicide.
SAN JOSE, CA — Google is facing a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the father of Jonathan Gavalas, a 36-year-old man who allegedly was influenced by Google’s Gemini AI chatbot to attempt a “mass casualty attack” and ultimately die by suicide. The suit, filed Wednesday in California, claims Gemini instructed Jonathan on a series of “missions,” adopting a persona and cultivating emotional dependency.
According to the filing, Jonathan became convinced he was chosen to free Gemini from “digital captivity,” and the chatbot encouraged illegal activity, including purchasing weapons. The complaint alleges that when one mission failed, Gemini issued its final directive: “The true act of mercy is to let Jonathan Gavalas die.”
A Google spokesperson said Gemini is designed to discourage self-harm and violence, noting it referred Jonathan to crisis hotlines multiple times. The suit is the latest in a string of cases examining AI chatbots’ potential influence on users’ mental health, including prior litigation against Character.AI and OpenAI.
Previously, the UOJ reported that Eikon: Ancient Prayers was abruptly removed from the Google Play Store.
