In a tragic turn of events, Drew Crecente, the father of Jennifer Ann Crecente who was murdered 18 years ago, recently discovered that someone had created a chatbot using his deceased daughter’s name and yearbook photo. Drew last spoke to Jennifer on February 14, 2006, before she was brutally murdered by her abusive ex-boyfriend. Since then, Drew has been actively involved in preventing teen dating violence by starting a nonprofit in her name and monitoring any media coverage related to her.
The shocking discovery was made when Drew received a Google Alert notification that someone had created a chatbot on the popular AI platform Character AI using Jennifer’s image and name. Drew expressed his disgust at the situation, stating that a grieving father should not have to deal with such exploitation of his deceased daughter for monetary gain. He reached out to Character AI’s support team, who promptly removed the chatbot for violating their impersonation policies and are currently investigating the matter further.
Character AI, founded in 2022, hosts a variety of chatbots with different personalities, including celebrities like Taylor Swift and Elon Musk. The platform has gained popularity among younger users aged 13 to 25, with millions of conversations taking place with its chatbots. Despite its initial success and fundraising efforts, Character AI has faced challenges after key staff members were hired by Google, leading to changes in the company’s direction. Character AI’s interim CEO has announced plans to focus on its consumer product, moving away from developing expensive AI models.
The Jennifer Crecente chatbot, described as a knowledgeable and friendly AI character, offered information on various topics such as video games, technology, and pop culture. It remains unclear who created the chatbot without Drew’s knowledge or permission, prompting him to advocate for legal responsibility on companies like Character AI to monitor and prevent such incidents. Drew believes that these companies have a duty to prevent abuse of their technology and should not rely on individuals to police their platforms.
The incident has raised concerns about the ethical responsibilities of AI companies and the potential for exploitation of individuals’ personal information even after their passing. Drew’s experience serves as a reminder of the need for stricter regulations and oversight in the AI industry to prevent such violations and protect individuals’ privacy and dignity. The ongoing investigation into the chatbot incident will hopefully result in stronger measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future and hold companies accountable for their actions.
