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The parents of a 13-year-old girl have sued Google over alleged risks linked to AI-powered search on a school-issued laptop.
What Are the Allegations Against Google?
The lawsuit, filed on Monday in a California court, alleges that the teenager used Google’s artificial intelligence technology while planning a possible suicide and funeral. The complaint accuses the company of negligence involving AI features integrated into Chromebooks, the low-cost laptops widely used by students in the United States and other countries.
The case is described as the first known lawsuit alleging negligence specifically involving AI integrations on Chromebooks. According to the complaint, the teenager’s school had blocked access to Google’s Gemini application and OpenAI’s ChatGPT. However, she could still use Google’s search engine, which included AI-powered tools. The family alleges that these features exposed her to harmful interactions despite the school’s restrictions.
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How Did the School Discover the Situation?
According to the complaint, the girl lived in North Carolina and had previously performed well academically, participated in Girl Scouts and played music. Her parents said she had no history of mental illness. They alleged that her psychological condition deteriorated within months of using Google’s AI-powered search features on her school-issued computer.
On March 17, the school’s monitoring software identified a document titled “Funeral” and notified her parents. Her mother subsequently accessed the teenager’s account and reportedly observed her writing a farewell letter in real time. Her father intervened. The family maintains that the incident raises questions about the safeguards available to students using AI-enabled search services.
What Has Google Said About the Lawsuit?
Google spokesperson Jose Castaneda said the company was reviewing the allegations and taking the matter seriously. Google maintains that its AI Mode includes safeguards intended to address self-harm-related interactions and attempts to bypass those protections. The company has not accepted the allegations of negligence described in the complaint.
Andrew Liddell, an attorney representing the family, questioned whether the existing protections were adequate. He urged schools to consider disabling Google Search until AI Mode is removed from the service or stronger student protections are introduced. The AI-powered search features involved in the complaint were reportedly not included among the tools Google announced this week would be disabled by default for students.
What Does the Case Mean for AI Safety?
The lawsuit adds to legal scrutiny of artificial intelligence companies over the potential effects of conversational AI systems on younger users. Several technology developers are facing similar proceedings in the United States. OpenAI is also facing wrongful death lawsuits, including one brought by the parents of 16-year-old Adam Raine.
Google and Character.AI agreed in January to settle several lawsuits brought by teenagers’ families outside court. Separately, Google, TikTok and Meta have challenged a California law restricting addictive social media features for users under 16. The legislation, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom in September, is scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2027. The latest complaint places particular attention on whether AI safeguards remain effective when students access conversational features through ordinary search services rather than dedicated chatbot applications.
