When Chatbots Choose Violence

Photo-Illustration: Intelligencer; Photo: Getty Images

Character.ai is a popular app for chatting with bots. Its millions of chatbots, most created by users, all play different roles. Some are broad: general-purpose assistants, tutors, or therapists; others are based, unofficially, on public figures and celebrities. Many are hyperspecific fictional characters pretty clearly created by teenagers. Its currently “featured” chatbots include a motivational bot named “Sergeant Whitaker,” a “true...