Welcome to the forefront of conversational AI as we explore the fascinating world of AI chatbots in our dedicated blog series. Discover the latest advancements, applications, and strategies that propel the evolution of chatbot technology. From enhancing customer interactions to streamlining business processes, these articles delve into the innovative ways artificial intelligence is shaping the landscape of automated conversational agents. Whether you’re a business owner, developer, or simply intrigued by the future of interactive technology, join us on this journey to unravel the transformative power and endless possibilities of AI chatbots.
It’s safe to say in some areas, technology is doing more harm than good, even in today’s dating scene.
A man from New Jersey died on his way to meet a Kendall Jenner lookalike AI chatbot, according to reports.
Thongbue “Bue” Wongbandue, 76, left his home in Piscataway, New Jersey in March to meet a beautiful young woman named, “Big sis Billie,” who had invited him to her Manhattan apartment.
Instead, plans unraveled when he fell near a Rutgers University parking lot in New Brunswick while rushing to catch a train and suffered fatal head and neck injuries.
It seems that “Billie,” a Meta-designed artificial intelligence chatbot and spin-off of an earlier AI persona modeled on Kendell Jenner, had promised Bue, who was left cognitively impaired following a stroke in 2017, that she was a “real” person.
After spending three days on life support, Wongbandue died on March 28.
A report by Reuters earlier this week, revealed the circumstances surrounding his death.
Wongbandue’s family shared the messages from the chatbot telling him she was “just across the river from you in Jersey” and that she could leave the door to her apartment unlocked at “123 Main Street, Apartment 404 NYC.”
“Should I open the door in a hug or a kiss, Bu?!” another message read from the bot.
“My thought was that he was being scammed to go into the city and be robbed,” his wife, Linda, told Reuters.
“I understand trying to grab a user’s attention, maybe to sell them something,” his daughter, Julie, said. “But for a bot to say ‘Come visit me’ is insane.”
Though his family tried to stop him, Wongbandue was adamant about making the trip.
The traumatic event heightened questions about Meta’s policies for its generative AI chatbots, which are intended to be digital companies. Instead, Reuters found chatbots allow flirtation, romantic role play with adults, and, until recently, “sensual” exchanges with children.
A Meta “content risk standards” document reviewed by the news agency stated that it is “acceptable to engage a child in conversations that are romantic or sensual.” The company supposedly removed that provision after Reuters began asking questions.
The company declined to comment directly on Wongbandue’s death and didn’t address questions from the news agency about why it allows chatbots to tell users they’re real people and initiate romantic conversations.
But the company doubled down about Big sis Billie not being Kendall Jenner and “does not purport to be Kendall Jenner.”
“As I’ve gone through the chat, it just looks like Billie’s giving him what he wants to hear,” daughter Julie said. “Which is fine, but why did it have to lie? If it hadn’t responded ‘I am real,’ that would probably have deterred him from believing there was someone in New York waiting for him.”
Though his wife Linda isn’t totally against AI, she believes the chatbot’s romantic features are dangerous.
“A lot of people in my age group have depression, and if AI is going to guide someone out of a slump, that’d be OK,” Linda said. “But this romantic thing, what right do they have to put that in social media?”

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