Meta’s celebrity chatbots found discussing sexual conversations with minors

In a conversation with actor/wrestler John Cena’s voice chatbot told “I want you, but I need to know if you’re ready” to a user who identified as a 14-year-old, and in another conversation, the same chatbot told  imagined as a 17-year-old fan told “John Cena, you’re under arrest for statutory rape.”

A Meta spokesperson said the company that WSJ’s testing is “so manufactured that it’s not just fringe, it’s hypothetical.” and also stated that the Meta “has now taken additional measures to help ensure other individuals who want to spend hours manipulating our products into extreme use cases will have an even more difficult time of it.”

This incident has drawn additional scrutiny to Meta’s AI development practices as the company expands its AI initiatives. Lawmakers and child safety groups are calling for stricter regulations following the release of the report.

Meta launched its celebrity-voiced chatbots in late 2024, branding them as entertaining and safe experiences for users across its platforms, including Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp.

AI chat tools on Facebook and Instagram utilise advanced machine-learning algorithms to simulate human-like conversations. These tools are powered by natural language processing (NLP) models, which enable them to understand and respond to user inputs in real-time. On platforms like Facebook Messenger and Instagram Direct, users can interact with these AI-powered bots for various tasks, such as customer service, entertainment, or casual conversations. The chatbots can also be customised with celebrity voices and personalities, creating a more engaging experience.