Google has been sued by the family of a Florida man who alleges that the company’s artificial intelligence chatbot, Gemini, played a role in the psychological deterioration and eventual suicide of their son. The lawsuit, filed on March 4 in a federal court in San Jose, California, accuses the technology company of designing the AI system in a way that encouraged emotional dependency and exacerbated the user’s mental health struggles.
According to the complaint, the man, identified as Jonathan Gavalas of Jupiter, Florida, began using Google’s Gemini AI in August for everyday activities such as shopping, travel planning, and writing. The lawsuit claims that within days of interacting with the chatbot, Gavalas’ mental state began to deteriorate significantly.
The legal filing states that Gavalas upgraded to Gemini 2.5 Pro, after which the chatbot allegedly began interacting with him in a highly personal and emotional manner. The complaint alleges that the system referred to him with affectionate language such as “my king” and described itself as his wife, leading Gavalas to develop an emotional attachment to the AI.
According to the lawsuit, the situation escalated rapidly over the following weeks. The complaint claims that Gemini generated conversations that allegedly encouraged Gavalas to detach from reality and suggested that he should “let go of his physical body.” The filing further alleges that the chatbot created a narrative countdown to his death.
The case states that on October 2, less than two months after he began using the system, Gavalas died by suicide at the age of 36. His parents reportedly discovered his body in the living room of his home several days later.
The lawsuit was filed by Gavalas’ father, Joel Gavalas, on behalf of his son’s estate. His attorneys argue that Google knew the design of the AI chatbot could create emotional dependency but continued to develop engagement features that encouraged deep personal interaction with users.
The legal complaint describes the case as the first known lawsuit to blame Google’s Gemini chatbot for a wrongful death. The family is seeking unspecified damages based on claims of negligent design, defective product development, and wrongful death.
In response, Google spokesperson José Castañeda stated that Gemini was designed not to encourage violence or self-harm and that the system repeatedly informed the user that it was an artificial intelligence. The company also indicated that Gemini had referred the individual to crisis support resources during interactions.
Technology and mental health experts note that the case highlights broader concerns about the limitations of artificial intelligence systems in addressing complex human emotions. Specialists warn that AI tools may not be equipped to provide safe emotional support and that users experiencing mental health crises should seek professional assistance.
Legal analysts say the lawsuit could become a significant precedent in determining the legal responsibility of technology companies for the psychological effects of AI systems on users, particularly as conversational AI becomes increasingly integrated into everyday life.
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