Recently, "robot lawyer" company DoNotPay reached an agreement with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in the United States, agreeing to pay a fine of $193,000. This action is part of the FTC's "AI Compliance Initiative" targeting companies that use artificial intelligence services to deceive consumers.
Image source note: The image is generated by AI, authorized service provider Midjourney
The FTC stated that DoNotPay claimed to replace the $200 billion legal industry with artificial intelligence, even asserting that their "robot lawyer" could generate legal documents and completely replace the professional knowledge of human lawyers. However, the FTC noted that DoNotPay had no tests to support these claims.
The complaint mentioned that DoNotPay's service technology was not trained comprehensively and up-to-date with federal and state laws, regulations, and judicial decisions, nor was it tested on how these laws apply to specific facts. More importantly, DoNotPay's staff did not test the quality and accuracy of the legal documents and advice generated by its legal-related functions. Additionally, DoNotPay did not employ lawyers or consult with lawyers who have relevant legal expertise to verify the quality and accuracy of its services.
The complaint also stated that DoNotPay had told consumers that they could sue for infringement without hiring human lawyers through its AI service, and claimed that the service could check whether small business websites were in legal violation based solely on consumers' email addresses. The company claimed that using its service could save businesses up to $125,000 in legal fees, but the FTC stated that the service was ineffective.
As part of the settlement, DoNotPay agreed to pay a $193,000 fine and will warn consumers between 2021 and 2023 about the limitations of the company's legal products. Additionally, DoNotPay will no longer claim that its services can replace any professional services without evidence.
In addition to penalizing DoNotPay, the FTC has also taken action against other companies that use artificial intelligence services to mislead customers. This includes AI writing assistant service Rytr, for which the FTC stated that the company provides users with tools to create AI-generated fake reviews. In response, the FTC recently announced a final rule banning all companies from creating or selling fake reviews, including those generated by AI.
Finally, the FTC has also filed a lawsuit against Ascend Ecom, accusing the company of defrauding consumers of at least $25 million, promising users that they could open online stores on platforms like Amazon and achieve substantial monthly income through its AI tools.
Key Points:
- 🤖 DoNotPay agrees to pay a $193,000 fine for failing to provide evidence of the effectiveness of its robot lawyer services.
- ⚖️ The FTC strengthens oversight of companies using AI to defraud consumers, with other companies like Rytr also being penalized.
- 💰 Ascend Ecom is accused of defrauding consumers of $25 million, promising high income through AI tools.