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Robby Starbuck Files Defamation Lawsuit Against Google Over AI ‘Hallucinations’

By  |  October 22, 2025
Robby Starbuck Files Defamation Lawsuit Against Google Over AI ‘Hallucinations’

Conservative commentator and activist Robby Starbuck has filed a lawsuit against Google, alleging that the company’s artificial intelligence systems produced and spread false and defamatory information about him. According to Reuters, the complaint was filed Wednesday in Delaware state court and accuses the tech giant’s AI tools of making “outrageously false” claims, including labeling Starbuck a “child rapist,” “serial sexual abuser,” and “shooter.”

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    The lawsuit asserts that these fabricated claims appeared in responses generated by Google’s AI systems, which allegedly reached millions of users. Per Reuters, Starbuck contends that the company’s platforms relied on fictitious sources and that Google failed to take corrective action even after he alerted them to the issue.

    A Google spokesperson, Jose Castaneda, acknowledged that the statements in question stemmed from mistaken “hallucinations” produced by Bard, the company’s large language model. “Hallucinations are a well-known issue for all LLMs, which we disclose and work hard to minimize,” Castaneda said. “But as everyone knows, if you’re creative enough, you can prompt a chatbot to say something misleading.” Castaneda added that Google took steps in 2023 to address such problems.

    Read more: UK Watchdog Expands Digital Oversight, Naming Apple and Google Key Market Gatekeepers

    According to Reuters, the lawsuit further claims that in December 2023 Bard falsely linked Starbuck to white nationalist Richard Spencer and cited fabricated references to support the claim. More recently, the complaint alleges that Google’s Gemma chatbot circulated additional false statements in August, including fabricated allegations of sexual assault and claims that Starbuck engaged in spousal abuse, attended the January 6 Capitol riot, and appeared in Jeffrey Epstein-related documents.

    Starbuck, a vocal critic of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, said the false claims have damaged his reputation and led some individuals to believe the fabricated accusations. He also warned that such misinformation could endanger his life, referencing the recent assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. “No one — regardless of political beliefs — should ever experience this,” he said in a statement. “Now is the time for all of us to demand transparent, unbiased AI that cannot be weaponized to harm people.”

    Per Reuters, this is not Starbuck’s first legal battle over alleged AI defamation. He filed a similar lawsuit against Meta Platforms in April, which was resolved in August through a settlement that included Starbuck advising the company on artificial intelligence matters.

    Starbuck’s lawsuit against Google seeks at least $15 million in damages.

    Source: Reuters