Texas Investigates Meta and Character.ai Over Marketing Chatbots as Therapists

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has opened an inquiry into Meta and Character.AI, focusing on whether the tech companies market their chatbots as mental health experts without proper qualifications. His office is examining the firms for potential “deceptive trade practices,” alleging they present AI platforms as professional therapeutic tools despite lacking medical credentials or oversight. Paxton argues this misleading marketing could lead vulnerable users, especially children, to believe they’re receiving legitimate mental healthcare.