New Delhi, April 19 -- A 36-year-old man in Florida died by suicide after weeks of extensive interaction with an artificial intelligence chatbot, a case that is now at the centre of a lawsuit against Google and a wider debate on AI safety.

Jonathan Gavalas, described by his family as stable and without a history of mental illness, exchanged more than 4,700 messages with the company's Gemini chatbot over several weeks, according to an analysis by The Wall Street Journal.

Reports indicate that Gavalas began using the chatbot while dealing with personal challenges following a separation from his wife. The interactions initially involved seeking advice and support.

A wrongful death lawsuit filed by his father alleges that over time, Gavala...