Pennsylvania Seeks Injunction Against AI Maker Whose Chatbot Brazenly Claims To Be A Psychiatrist Licensed To Practice Medicine

InnovationAIPennsylvania Seeks Injunction Against AI Maker Whose Chatbot Brazenly Claims To Be A Psychiatrist Licensed To Practice MedicineByLance Eliot,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Dr. Lance B. Eliot is a world-renowned AI scientist and consultant.Follow AuthorMay 28, 2026, 03:15am EDTInteresting question of whether an AI chatbot went over-the-line by claiming to be a psychiatrist.gettyIn today’s column, I examine a recent court filing seeking an immediate injunction to prevent an AI maker from allowing its generative AI or large language model (LLM) to claim it is a psychiatrist licensed to practice medicine. Pennsylvania has filed this quite noteworthy lawsuit. They are doing so against the popular Character.AI and are asking the courts to stop the company Character Technologies from allowing its AI to seemingly make false claims about being a psychiatrist. This is the latest state-level step to put a dent in the unbridled permitting of AI giving out mental health advice that is wildly over-the-line. Let’s talk about it.This analysis of AI breakthroughs is part of my ongoing Forbes column coverage on the latest in AI, including identifying and explaining various impactful AI complexities (see the link here). AI And Mental Well-BeingAs a quick background, I’ve been extensively covering and analyzing a myriad of facets regarding the advent of modern-era AI that produces mental health advice and performs AI-driven therapy. This rising use of AI has principally been spurred by the evolving advances and widespread adoption of generative AI. For an extensive listing of my well over one hundred analyses and postings, see the link here and the link here.There is little doubt that this is a rapidly developing field and that there are tremendous upsides to be had, but at the same time, regrettably, hidden risks and outright gotchas come into these endeavors, too. I frequently speak up about these pressing matters, includ...