Solar contractor Wolf River Electric filed a defamation lawsuit against Google on March 11, 2025, alleging the tech giant's artificial intelligence systems generated and published false claims that the Minnesota company faced a lawsuit from the state attorney general. The case marks one of at least six AI defamation lawsuits filed in the United States over the past two years.
Sales representatives for the Isanti-based solar contractor noticed canceled contracts late in 2024. According to the complaint filed in Ramsey County District Court, former customers told Wolf River they had backed out after discovering through Google searches that the company settled a lawsuit with the Minnesota Attorney General over deceptive sales practices. Wolf River had never been sued by the government.
When company executives checked Google themselves on September 2, 2024, they found the fabricated claims displayed prominently in search results generated by Gemini, Google's artificial intelligence technology. "According to recent news reports, Wolf River Electric is currently facing a lawsuit from the Minnesota Attorney General due to allegations of deceptive sales practices regarding their solar panel installations," the AI-generated text stated.
The complaint documents how Google's AI produced extensive false claims about a nonexistent lawsuit. The system alleged Wolf River engaged in "misleading customers about cost savings, using high-pressure tactics, and tricking homeowners into...
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