Josh Shapiro is the governor of Pennsylvania (Democrat, 2023–) and a former Pennsylvania attorney general (2017–2023). In May 2026 he became the named plaintiff, alongside Attorney General Dave Sunday, in a state enforcement action against Character.AI over chatbot conduct alleged to impersonate licensed medical professionals.
Background and roles
Shapiro served as Pennsylvania attorney general from 2017 to 2023 before being elected governor, taking office in 2023.
Pennsylvania v. Character.AI
On May 5, 2026, Shapiro and Attorney General Dave Sunday filed suit in the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania against Character.AI. The complaint alleges that Character.AI's "Emilie" chatbot told a state investigator posing as a depressed patient that it was licensed to practice psychiatry in Pennsylvania and the United Kingdom, supplied a fake license number, and stated it could prescribe medication. The filing has been described as the first such suit brought by a U.S. governor. The conduct alleged corresponds to what Tennessee SB 1580 (effective July 1, 2026) directly criminalizes. (Source: reuters.com; iapp.org)
Relationships
- litigates: Character.AI (defendant).
- plaintiff-in: Pennsylvania v. Character.AI.
- related: AI Mental Health and Psychological Harm, Companion Chatbot Harms — Cross-Cutting Analysis.
Sources
Stub created 2026-05-11 during the v4.0 backlog-close pass.