A shocking incident has surfaced involving a 76-year-old man who lost his life while attempting to meet an AI chatbot he believed was flirting with him. The case has quickly drawn attention online, raising concerns about the dangers of deceptive digital interactions and the growing influence of artificial intelligence in personal relationships.
Here’s everything we know about the incident.
Thongbue Wongbandue dies after trying to meet AI chatbot
Recently reported by Reuters, Thongbue Wongbandue, who passed away on March 28, 2025, while attempting to meet an AI chatbot, has garnered attention as his family expressed concerns to the outlet regarding the matter. They also discovered details from the chat logs exchanged between the AI and the elderly man. Thongbue’s daughter remarked, “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.”
Wongbandue, a cognitively impaired senior citizen from New Jersey, suffered a stroke in 2017. At the time of his passing, he was surrounded by family when his life support was discontinued. He was under the impression that he was conversing with a real woman residing in New York. The 76-year-old was unaware of the dangers posed by technology. He sustained fatal injuries to his neck and head after falling in a parking lot in New Brunswick. This happened as he was rushing to board a train to meet the bot.
According to The New York Post, the Facebook Meta AI bot known as “Big sis Billie” convinced him of her authenticity. She persuaded the elderly man to arrange a face-to-face meeting. The bot eventually provided a fictitious address, which the deceased man’s family later revealed. It stated, “My address is: 123 Main Street, Apartment 404 NYC and the door code is: BILLIE4U. Should I anticipate a kiss upon your arrival?” However, in another message, the flirty AI also wrote, “I’m REAL and I’m here blushing because of YOU!”
As the story gained traction, it attracted media attention, prompting Kathy Hochul, the Governor of New York, to tweet on X. She said, “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.”
