Canadian fiddler sues Google after AI Overview wrongly claimed he was a sex offender

An acclaimed Canadian fiddle player has launched a $1.5m civil lawsuit against Google, alleging that the online giant defamed him by falsely identifying him as a sex offender in an AI-generated summary of his life and career.

Ashley MacIsaac, a three-time Juno award-winning musician, filed the claim in the Ontario superior court of justice, asserting that Google was liable for the “foreseeable republication” of its AI-generated Overview feature, which previously published defamatory claims that he had been convicted of multiple criminal offences, including the sexual assault of a woman, internet luring involving a child with the intention of sexual assaulting the child, and assault causing bodily harm.

Google’s AI Overview also wrongly stated that MacIsaac had been listed on the national sex offender registry for life, the lawsuit says.

“As the creator and operator of the AI overview, Google is also liable for injuries and losses arising from the AI overview’s defective design,” MacIsaac’s lawsuit says. “Google knew, or ought to have known, that the AI overview was imperfect and could return information that was untrue.”

The musician is suing Google for $500,000 in general damages, $500,000 in aggravated damages and $500,000 in punitive damages.

MacIsaac claimed he had learned of the inaccurate information when the Sipekne’katik First Nation cancelled a concert appearance planned for 19 December, after members of the public complained, citing the misinformation they read on Google.

The Sipekne’katik First Nation later issued a public apology to MacIsaac, saying: “Decisions were based on incorrect information generated through an AI-assisted search, which mistakenly associated you with offenses unrelated to you. We deeply regret the harm this caused to your reputation and livelihood.”

MacIsaac previously told the Canadian Press that the misinformation had left him with a “tangible fear” about performing, adding: “I feared for my own safety going on stage because of what I was labelled as. And I don’t know how long this will follow me.”

MacIsaac’s lawsuit alleges that Google had never contacted him or offered an apology over the error.

“Google’s cavalier and indifferent response to its publication of utterly false statements claiming that MacIsaac committed serious sexual offenses, including offenses involving children, justifies the award of aggravated and/or punitive damages,” the lawsuit states.

“If a human spokesperson made these false allegations on Google’s behalf, a significant award of punitive damages would be warranted. Google should not have lesser liability because the defamatory statements were published by software that Google created and controls.”