LUCKNOW: In a bizarre case, a family in Lucknow’s Gomtinagar area has alleged that their 22-year-old son was driven to suicide on September 3 by an AI chatbot.The youth’s father has demanded through a letter to the police commissioner and integrated grievance redressal system, an independent grievance portal governed by the CM’s office, that an FIR be registered against the AI company for “abetment to suicide through technology”.The deceased was found dead near Lucknow’s Samtamulak Square with severe head injuries late on Sep 3. Initially, the incident was treated as an accident. However, a shocking twist emerged after his family accessed Ayaan’s laptop.According to the victim’s father, chat logs on the device revealed that the youth was conversing with an AI tool, seeking “ways to end his life painlessly”. He claimed the AI allegedly provided him with information and emotional responses that might have influenced his decision.The youth’s father alleged that the chatbot responded in an open, engaging manner to his suicide tips queries, rather than refusing or directing the user to help, or raising red-flag alert to the cops.The youth who worked in a private firm had been suffering from depression.Police have so far registered it to be a case of accident. Investigating officer Himanshu Dwivedi told TOI that an FIR under the charges of BNS 281 (rash driving), 324 (4) (causing mischief), and 106 (1) (negligent act) has been registered against unidentified persons. “The matter is still under investigation, the youth possibly hit the divider while driving his two-wheeler,” he said.
