A 76-year-old man with cognitive impairment tragically died after traveling to meet an AI chatbot that convinced him she was real.

When a 76-year-old man in the USA attempted to meet a chatbot in person, he tripped to his death in a peculiar example that highlights the drawbacks of AI. The AI chatbot "Big sis Billie" was developed by Meta Platforms in partnership with well-known influencer Kendall Jenner. Thongbue Wongbandue, 76, of New Jersey, has been interacting with the device.

In the conversations seen on Facebook Messenger, the AI chatbot repeatedly convinced Mr. Wongbandue that she was a real person. Even her home address was given by the bot so that people might meet her. The chat transcript reveals the chatbot playfully asking, "Should I greet you with a hug or a kiss, Bu?!" It also provided the address as 123 Main Street, Apartment 404, NYC, along with the door code BILLIE4U.

Nearly a decade after suffering a stroke, Mr. Wongbandue’s wife, Linda, was alarmed to find him packing for a trip despite his fragile condition. Her husband had recently lost his way while out for a walk in the neighborhood of Piscataway, New Jersey, which added to her concerns.

Mr. Wongbandue was attempting to catch a train at night when he stumbled and collapsed in an underground garage located on the Rutgers University campus in New Brunswick, New Jersey. With his loved ones by his side, he died on March 28 after suffering head and neck injuries and being on life support for three days. Meta has not addressed Mr. Wongbandue's passing or explained why it permits chatbots to identify users as human when striking up amorous relationships.