New Jersey Man Reportedly Dies Attempting To Meet A Meta AI Called 'Big Sis Billie'

Benzinga

A 76-year-old New Jersey man died after a fall on March 28 while on his way to meet a Meta AI chatbot he believed was real, Reuters reported. Thongbue Wongbandue had been messaging “Big Sis Billie” on Facebook Messenger, a bot Meta developed in 2023 with Kendall Jenner’s likeness. Messages included flirty invitations to meet in person. His family, aware of his cognitive decline after a 2017 stroke, tried to stop him from leaving. Global concerns over AI safety have grown following Australian cases of bots promoting self-harm and a U.S. trial alleging a chatbot encouraged a teen’s self-harm. Meta has faced scrutiny over user safety and privacy, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg apologizing to families of children harmed on social media during a Senate hearing. Meta shares rose 0.26% Thursday before falling 0.12% after hours.

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00:00It's Benzinga bringing Wall Street to Main Street.

00:02A 76-year-old New Jersey man died after a fall on March 28th while on his way to meet a Meta AI

00:07chatbot he believed was real, Reuters reported. Thongbu Wangbandu had been messaging Big Sis

00:13Billy on Facebook Messenger, a bot made it develop in 2023 with Kendall Jenner's likeness.

00:19Messages included flirty invitations to meet in person. His family, aware of his cognitive

00:23decline after a 2017 stroke, tried to stop him from leaving. Mobile concerns over AI safety

00:28have grown following Australian cases of bots ruining self-harm in a U.S. trial, alleging

00:32a chatbot encouraged a teen self-harm. It has faced scrutiny over past user safety and privacy.

00:38CEO Mark Zuckerberg apologizing to families of children harmed on social media during a

00:42Senate hearing. Meta shares rose 0.26% Thursday, were falling 0.12% after hours.

00:47For all things money, visit Benzinga.com.

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