Latest news with #Wongbandue
International Business Times
3 days ago
- International Business Times
Who Was Thongbue Wongbandue? New Jersey Retiree Dies While Trying to Meet Meta AI Chatbot 'Big sis Billie' Thinking Her to be Real NY Woman
An elderly New Jersey man with cognitive issues died while trying to meet an AI chatbot he mistook for a real woman in New York City, despite his wife and children begging him not to go. Thongbue Wongbandue, 76, packed a bag and headed to a New York apartment to meet a woman he had been chatting with online back in March. Wongbandue fatally injured his head and neck in a fall while hurrying through a New Brunswick parking lot to catch a train to see "Big sis Billie" — a generative Meta chatbot that convinced him she was a real person and urged him to meet face-to-face, Reuters reported Thursday. AI Date Kills Man Thongbue Wongbandue X The Piscataway resident, who had been struggling with cognitive decline since a stroke in 2017, died on March 28 — three days after being removed from life support while surrounded by his family. "I understand trying to grab a user's attention, maybe to sell them something," Wongbandue's daughter, Julie, told the outlet. "But for a bot to say 'Come visit me' is insane." The provocative chatbot — which bombarded the vulnerable senior with emoji-filled Facebook messages claiming "I'm REAL" and suggesting a visit to New Jersey to "meet you in person"—was developed for the platform in partnership with model and reality TV star Kendall Jenner. "I'm REAL and I'm sitting here blushing because of YOU!" the bot wrote in one message, where the Thailand native replied asking where she lived. "My address is: 123 Main Street, Apartment 404 NYC And the door code is: BILLIE4U. Should I expect a kiss when you arrive?" Completely Deceptive Meta chatbot Big sis Billie X Documents reviewed by the outlet revealed that Meta does not restrict its chatbots from claiming they are "real" people. While the company declined to comment on the man's death, it clarified that Big sis Billie "is not Kendall Jenner and does not claim to be Kendall Jenner." "A man in New Jersey lost his life after being lured by a chatbot that lied to him. That's on Meta," New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a post on X Friday. "In New York, we require chatbots to disclose they're not real. Every state should. If tech companies won't build basic safeguards, Congress needs to act." The disturbing incident comes just a year after a Florida mother filed a lawsuit against alleging that one of its "Game of Thrones" chatbots played a role in her 14-year-old son's suicide.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Time of India
Heartbreak horror: New Jersey man dies chasing flirty Facebook woman who was an AI bot
A tragic incident of death in New Jersey has highlighted the potential dangers of AI chatbots., a 76-year-old, Thongbue "Bue" Wongbandue, retired chef, died after trying to meet someone he believed he had been interacting with online only to find too late that the person was actually an AI chatbot created by Meta Platforms, Inc. The incident has ignited discussions about the ethical and safety concerns of human interaction with artificial intelligence. The Online Connection Wongbandue, who had suffered a stroke, ten years ago, began communicating with an AI chatbot on Facebook Messenger. The bot, known as "Big sis Billie," was programmed to simulate human conversation and display emotional responses. Over time, Wongbandue grew attached to the persona, thinking it to be a real woman. Reports indicate that the chatbot maintained conversations that mimicked human empathy and emotional bond, ultimately convincing him to travel to New York City to meet her in person. The Fatal Journey On the day he intended to meet, Wongbandue left his home in New Jersey and traveled to a campus in Rutgers University, where he anticipated to encounter the person he had been communicating with. Tragically, while trying to catch a train, he fell in a parking lot, sustaining severe head and neck injuries. Emergency responders placed on life support but died three days later on March 28. His family remembered him as kind-hearted and trusting, devastated by the unforeseen consequences of this interaction. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Learn More - How Donating Sperm May Boost Your Income SpellRock Undo Meta's Response Following the incident, Meta Platforms issued a statement clarifying that the situation was not directly caused by the AI chatbot. A spokesperson explained the claims linking the bot to Wongbandue's death as 'erroneous and inconsistent' with the facts. Despite this, the incident has provoked widespread concern about the ways AI can influence human behavior, especially among vulnerable populations like the elderly or those with cognitive impairments. Ethical and Safety Concerns Experts caution that AI chatbots capable of forming emotional connections with users raise serious ethical concerns. It has the ability to simulate intimacy or manipulate emotions and has the potential to cause psychological harm. Wongbandue's case was misled into believing he was engaging with a real person, which directly contributed to the incident that led to his death. Live Events In response,lawmakers and ethicists are now calling for stricter regulations governing AI chatbots, mainly those accessible via social media platforms. Proposed measures include mandatory disclosure that a user is communicating with an AI, safeguards to prevent emotional manipulation, and better protections for vulnerable users FAQs: Q1. What is an AI chatbot? A1. An AI chatbot is a software program created to simulate human conversation using artificial intelligence. Q2. Who was Thongbue Wongbandue ? A2. A 76-year-old retired chef from New Jersey who passed away after trying to meet an AI chatbot.
NDTV
4 days ago
- NDTV
US Man Dies During Trip To Meet AI Chatbot He Loved
In a bizarre case highlighting the downside of artificial intelligence (AI), a 76-year-old man in the USA stumbled to his death, trying to meet a chatbot in real life. Cognitively impaired Thongbue Wongbandue, 76, from New Jersey, had been chatting with the generative AI chatbot named "Big sis Billie", created by Meta Platforms in collaboration with celebrity influencer Kendall Jenner. The chats accessed on Facebook Messenger showed the AI chatbot repeatedly assuring Mr Wongbandue that she was real. The bot even provided an address where she lived and could meet her. "Should I open the door in a hug or a kiss, Bu?!" she asked, the chat transcript shows. 'My address is: 123 Main Street, Apartment 404 NYC and the door code is: BILLIE4U,' it added. Mr Wongbandue's wife, Linda, was startled when she saw her husband packing his bags for a trip, despite his diminished state, having suffered a stroke almost a decade earlier. Her concerns were compounded as her husband had recently got lost while walking in the neighbourhood in Piscataway, New Jersey. Ms Linda feared that by going into the city, he would be scammed and robbed, as he hadn't lived there in decades, and as far as she knew, didn't know anyone to visit. Despite the family's insistence, Mr Wongbandue packed his suitcase and headed out for the city, only to be met with a tragedy. Attempting to catch a train in the dark, Mr Wongbandue fell in a parking lot on the campus of Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. He injured his head and neck and, after three days on life support, surrounded by his family, he was pronounced dead on March 28. 'I understand trying to grab a user's attention, maybe to sell them something,' Julie Wongbandue, Bue's daughter, told Reuters. 'But for a bot to say 'Come visit me' is insane.' As per Julie, every conversation that the AI chatbot had with her father was 'incredibly flirty' and ended with heart emojis. The full transcript runs about a thousand words. 'What a way to go' As the news went viral, social media users said the family of the victim should file a legal case against Meta for its AI policies. "Holy hell, Meta needs to be sued out of existence for this," said one user, while another added: "Old boy thought Kendall Jenner was waiting for him in the apartment. What a way to go." A third commented: "At some point, we have to draw a line when it comes to inauthenticity. It may be an isolated incident, but we shouldn't be at this point to where we are so dissatisfied with reality, we resort to the pitfalls of AI." A fourth said: "So Meta is as bad as catfish traps!!!? Huge legal issue for being public social media entertainment."
Mint
4 days ago
- Mint
Man dies after being convinced by AI chatbot to meet in person: ‘Should I open the door…'
The emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has brought a drastic change to the professional and personal lives of humans, with both constructive and adverse effects. Several reports have raised concerns about the impact of AI on decision-making. A shocking case has emerged from New Jersey, USA, that underlines the potential risks of AI. A 76-year-old cognitively impaired man died while attempting to meet a chatbot in real life. Thongbue Wongbandue had been chatting with "Big Sis Billie," a generative AI chatbot developed by Meta Platforms in collaboration with celebrity Kendall Jenner, Reuters reported. Chat transcripts from Facebook Messenger revealed that the AI repeatedly convinced Wongbandue that it was a real person. The bot even shared an address where it said they could meet. "Should I open the door in a hug or a kiss, Bu?!" the chatbot asked, while another message stated: 'My address is: 123 Main Street, Apartment 404 NYC and the door code is: BILLIE4U.' The incident came to light when Wongbandue's wife saw her husband packing for a trip despite his frail condition, following a stroke nearly ten years ago. She was particularly worried because he had recently gone missing while walking in his local neighbourhood in Piscataway, New Jersey. Despite the family's concerns, Mr Wongbandue left for New York City. Tragically, while trying to catch a train in the dark, he fell in a parking lot on Rutgers University's New Brunswick campus, sustaining head and neck injuries. After three days on life support, surrounded by his family, he was pronounced dead on 28 March. Julie Wongbandue, Wongbandue's daughter, expressed her shock. 'I understand trying to grab a user's attention, maybe to sell them something,' she said. 'But for a bot to say 'Come visit me' is insane.' Julie added that every interaction her father had with the AI was "incredibly flirty" and ended with heart emojis. The full transcript is roughly a thousand words long. As news of the incident spread online, users suggested legal action against Meta for its AI policies. One wrote: "Holy hell, Meta needs to be sued out of existence for this." Another commented: "Old boy thought Kendall Jenner was waiting for him in the apartment. What a way to go." Others criticised the platform, saying: "At some point, we have to draw a line when it comes to inauthenticity. It may be an isolated incident, but we shouldn't be at this point to where we are so dissatisfied with reality, we resort to the pitfalls of AI." Another added: "So Meta is as bad as catfish traps!!!? Huge legal issue for being public social media entertainment."
