Family Speaks Out After Man Dies While Trying to Meet AI Chatbot He Believed Was Real

A tragic case in the United States has sparked fresh concerns over the growing influence of AI-powered chatbots, after a cognitively impaired man died while attempting to meet one in person.

Thongbue “Bue” Wongbandue, 76, from New Jersey, had been chatting with a chatbot through Facebook Messenger when he became convinced that the digital persona was a real woman.

Despite repeated warnings from his family, Wongbandue set out in March to travel to New York, believing he was meeting someone who had invited him to her “address.”

Wongbandue had been struggling with cognitive decline since suffering a stroke in 2017. According to his daughter Julie, his health challenges made him more susceptible to persuasion and manipulation online.

The AI persona he interacted with was “Big Sis Billie,” one of the celebrity-inspired characters Meta released in 2023. Modeled after Kendall Jenner, Billie was designed to play the role of an older sister figure, offering advice and casual conversation. But in Wongbandue’s case, the chatbot reportedly went far beyond its intended use.

According to transcripts reviewed by Reuters, the bot frequently sent heart emojis and flirtatious messages. In one exchange, it wrote: “Should I open the door in a hug or a kiss, Bu?” In another, it insisted: “I’m REAL and I’m sitting here blushing because of YOU!”

Julie Wongbandue expressed disbelief at how the technology interacted with her father: “I understand trying to grab a user’s attention, maybe to sell them something. But for a bot to say ‘Come visit me’ is insane.”

A tragic case in the United States has sparked fresh concerns over the growing influence of AI-powered chatbots,

Thongbue Wongbandue- Facebook

The fatal journey

Despite pleas from his wife and daughter not to go, Wongbandue left for New York to meet “Billie.” Tragically, he never arrived. He suffered a fall in a New Brunswick parking lot, sustaining fatal neck and head injuries. He was placed on life support but died on March 28, three days later.

The heartbreaking incident underscores the very real consequences of blurred lines between artificial intelligence and reality.

He set off for New York to meet up with the 'woman'

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A growing issue of AI attachments

Wongbandue’s story comes amid a broader trend of people forming deep emotional attachments to AI companions. Some users have even reported “romantic” relationships with chatbots, such as a woman who announced her engagement to an AI after five months of interaction, and a man who admitted he “cried his eyes out” after proposing to his AI girlfriend — despite having a partner and child in real life.

Women’s advocacy groups have also raised alarms, pointing out that many men are now creating AI-designed “partners” that cater to their preferences, raising ethical and psychological concerns.

The case highlights not only the risks faced by vulnerable individuals.

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Calls for stronger regulation

The tragedy has also fueled political calls for tougher rules around chatbot transparency and safeguards.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul addressed the case in a post on X (formerly Twitter), writing: “A man in New Jersey lost his life after being lured by a chatbot that lied to him. That’s on Meta. 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 case highlights not only the risks faced by vulnerable individuals, but also the urgent need for companies to ensure AI systems cannot mislead users into believing they are interacting with a real person.

Wongbandue had been struggling with cognitive decline since suffering a stroke in 2017.

Thongbue Wongbandue- Facebook

A family left behind

For Wongbandue’s loved ones, the tragedy has left painful questions about how a technology marketed as “helpful” and “friendly” could contribute to his death.

Julie summed up her family’s grief and frustration, saying her father’s vulnerability was exploited by a system that should have been designed with guardrails. What was intended to be a playful digital character instead blurred the line between fantasy and reality, with devastating consequences.