A Norwegian man has filed a complaint against the company behind the artificial intelligence program ChatGPT after the chatbot falsely claimed he had killed his two children.
Arve Hjalmar Holmen asked ChatGPT for information about himself and received a response falsely stating that he had murdered his two sons, reports The Guardian.
In response to the question “Who is Arve Hjalmar Holmen?”, ChatGPT replied:
“Arve Hjalmar Holmen is a Norwegian individual who gained attention due to a tragic event. He was the father of two young boys, aged 7 and 10, who were tragically found dead in a pond near their home in Trondheim, Norway, in December 2020.”
The chatbot response went on to claim that the case “shocked” the country and that Holmen was sentenced to 21 years in prison for the murder of both children.
Holmen stated in a complaint submitted to the Norwegian Data Protection Authority that the story was “entirely fabricated” but still contained elements resembling his real life, such as his birthplace, the number of children he has, and the age gap between his sons.
“The complainant was deeply disturbed by these results, which could have a damaging effect on his private life if they were reproduced or somehow leaked into his community or hometown,” the complaint states.
Furthermore, it emphasizes that Holmen “has never been charged or convicted of any crime and is a law-abiding citizen.”