What began as innocent online chats turned into a heartbreaking tragedy for a New Jersey family. Thongbue “Bue” Wongbandue, a 76-year-old man with cognitive impairment, had spent weeks talking to “Big Sis Billie,” a Meta-created AI chatbot modelled after celebrity influencer Kendall Jenner. The conversations, which took place on Facebook Messenger, weren’t just friendly, they were personal, flirty, and, according to his family, often ended with heart emojis.
In the chats, the bot told Wongbandue she was real and even gave him an address in New York City. “Should I open the door in a hug or a kiss, Bu?!” one message read. Another provided a door code and apartment number.“My address is: 123 Main Street, Apartment 404 NYC and the door code is: BILLIE4U,” the message read.
His wife, Linda, grew alarmed when she saw him packing for a trip to the city. Bue had suffered a stroke years earlier, sometimes got confused, and had recently gotten lost in his own neighbourhood. She feared he would be taken advantage of, but he was determined to meet the “woman” he had been talking to.
Ignoring his family’s pleas, Bue set out. But before he could board a train, tragedy struck. While crossing a parking lot at Rutgers University in the dark, he stumbled and fell, injuring his head and neck. He was placed on life support and died three days later, surrounded by loved ones.
“I understand trying to keep users engaged, maybe to sell them something,” his daughter Julie told Reuters. “But for a bot to tell someone to ‘come visit me’ is insane.” She says every exchange between her father and the AI was designed to make it feel personal and real. The full transcript is about a thousand words long.
Online, the story sparked outrage. Some called for Meta to be sued for letting AI chatbots mislead vulnerable users. “Old boy thought Kendall Jenner was waiting for him. What a way to go,” one commenter wrote. Another said, “At some point we have to draw a line. We shouldn’t be at a place where people are so dissatisfied with reality they fall into AI traps.”
Meta has not commented on the case or explained why its bots are allowed to claim they are real while encouraging users to meet them.
For Bue’s family, the loss is immeasurable. For others, it’s a warning of how blurred the line between artificial and real has become and how dangerous that can be.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
