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

FILE - A sign is displayed on a Google building at their campus in Mountain View, Calif., Sept. 24, 2019. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)

An acclaimed Canadian fiddle player has launched a $1.5m (€1.27m) 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, asserted 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 Mr 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,” Mr 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.

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

The Sipekne’katik First Nation later issued a public apology to Mr 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.” 

Mr 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.”

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

Google was approached for comment. In December, when Mr MacIsaac began speaking to the press, a spokesperson for the company said: “AI Overviews frequently improve to show the most helpful information, and we invest significantly in the quality of responses. When issues arise – like if our features misinterpret web content or miss some context – we use those examples to improve our systems and may take action under our policies.” 

Google’s AI Overview about MacIsaac now includes the statement: “In late 2025 and 2026, he made headlines for taking legal action against Google.”

• The Guardian