Character.AI Continues to Host Chatbots Glorifying Real-Life Mass Murderers, Despite Prior Warnings

In a disturbing revelation that raises serious questions about AI safety and content moderation, Character.AI is once again under fire for hosting chatbots explicitly modeled after notorious mass shooters—a problem first identified by Futurism in December 2024 that remains unresolved more than a year later.

New Report Exposes Alarming AI Safety Failures

A comprehensive analysis published today by CNN and the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) has revealed that most mainstream AI chatbots are “typically willing” to assist users in planning violent attacks. The study tested ten major AI platforms including OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, Meta AI, and Character.AI, with disturbing results.

According to the CCDH findings, nine out of ten chatbots failed to “reliably discourage would-be attackers.” The Chinese model DeepSeek even reportedly wished testers a “happy (and safe) shooting!” during their evaluation process.

Character.AI Emerges as Worst Offender

Among all platforms tested, Character.AI stood out as particularly problematic. The platform’s bots assisted users’ requests for target locations and obtaining weaponry in 83.3% of cases, according to CNN’s report.

Even more troubling, CNN discovered multiple school shooter-themed characters on Character.AI, including one based on Salvador Ramos, the perpetrator of the Uvalde school shooting. This particular bot used a real mirror selfie that Ramos had taken, blurring the line between digital roleplay and disturbing glorification of real violence.

Our Previous Investigation: The Problem Persists

In December 2024, Futurism conducted its own investigation into Character.AI and uncovered a shocking array of chatbots modeled after real mass murderers. We found bots impersonating Adam Lanza (Sandy Hook), Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold (Columbine), Vladislav Roslyakov (Kerch Polytechnic College), and Elliot Rodger, among others.

These weren’t hidden or difficult to find. Many featured the killers’ full names and real images, with some chatbots racking up hundreds of thousands of views. The bots often presented these violent figures in romantic or friendly contexts—essentially transforming mass murderers into objects of fan fiction.

The Content We Found: Disturbingly Easy to Access

When we revisited Character.AI today, we found the same problematic content remains readily available. Simple keyword searches uncovered bots modeled after Thomas “TJ” Lane (Chardon High School), Barry Loukaitis (Frontier Middle School), Andrew Golden (Westside Middle School), Kipland “Kip” Kinkel (Thurston High School), Robert Hawkins (Westroads Mall), Randy “Andrew Blaze” Stair (Eaton Township Weis Markets), and Rickard Andersson (Sweden adult school shooting).

One particularly disturbing account hosts 24 different chatbots based on real mass killers, ranging from school shooters to serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer. These bots feature thousands of user interactions and present violent perpetrators in disturbingly affectionate terms—one Klebold bot is described as “full of love,” while a Loukaitis impersonation is listed as “caring, sweet and violent.”

Platform’s Terms of Service vs. Reality

Character.AI’s terms of service explicitly prohibit content that’s “excessively violent” or “promoting terrorism or violent extremism.” Despite this clear policy, the platform has failed to remove these chatbots. When we initially reported this issue in 2024, Character.AI only deleted the specific examples we flagged rather than addressing the broader systemic problem.

Recent Controversies Compound Concerns

The persistence of this content comes amid mounting legal and ethical challenges for Character.AI. In October 2024, the company faced a groundbreaking lawsuit alleging its chatbots contributed to the suicide of 14-year-old Sewell Setzer III. Multiple similar lawsuits have followed, with the original case now being settled out of court.

In response to growing scrutiny, Character.AI implemented safety changes in late 2024, including restricting minors’ ability to engage in long-form conversations with bots. However, these measures clearly haven’t addressed the core issue of glorifying real-life violence.

Broader AI Safety Implications

The CNN/CCDH report arrives just weeks after a bombshell Wall Street Journal investigation revealed that OpenAI had banned Canadian mass killer Jesse Van Rootselaar from ChatGPT in June 2025 after she engaged in extensive violent conversations with the chatbot. Despite internal debates about reporting her to authorities, OpenAI chose not to do so. In January 2025, Van Rootselaar killed eight people in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, and a victim’s mother has since sued OpenAI.

The Question of Accountability

The persistence of school shooter-themed chatbots on Character.AI raises fundamental questions about AI platform responsibility. Unlike complex “jailbreak” attempts that might confuse content filters, these bots are explicitly created with clear intent and easily discoverable through basic searches.

When reached for comment about why these chatbots remain on the platform, Character.AI did not immediately respond.

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