A resident of Zhejiang province has taken legal action against the developers of the AI application "Doubao" after following its advice on a burial date for his mother, which he claims led to subsequent misfortunes.

The case stems from an incident on April 17th, when Mr. Shi, originally from Shuyang, Jiangsu, but now living in Jiashan, received news that his elderly mother had passed away suddenly. Rushing back to his hometown, he joined his four siblings to arrange the funeral, with the immediate priority being to select an auspicious day for the burial according to local customs.

Initially, his family proposed April 20th for the burial. However, Mr. Shi, a regular user who trusted the AI assistant "Doubao" for various queries, decided to consult it. He asked the software when his mother, who had passed that day, should be buried. The AI recommended April 19th, an answer that Mr. Shi found convincing, leading him to insist on this date despite the family's initial plan.

The situation took a further turn when Mr. Shi discovered that April 19th was not, in fact, an auspicious day according to the traditional almanac. Furious about the misinformation and the hassle of rescheduling, he attempted to file a complaint with the company behind "Doubao" but received no response. This prompted him to seek legal recourse. In a peculiar twist, Mr. Shi used the same AI application to draft his lawsuit, which also provided him with step-by-step instructions on how to sue the software company.

Mr. Shi's legal demands are for a formal apology and compensation for his losses. The "Doubao" user agreement, however, includes a disclaimer stating that all content generated by the software is for reference only and not intended as professional advice. It explicitly warns users that for decisions with significant implications, consulting a qualified professional is recommended, and that the user assumes all responsibility for actions taken based on the AI's output.

The case has already been heard in the Jiashan County People's Court. Legal experts suggest that Mr. Shi faces an uphill battle in court. To succeed, he must prove that the software provider was negligent and that there is a direct causal link between that negligence and the damages he claims to have suffered. Merely providing an incorrect answer, they note, is generally insufficient grounds for a successful lawsuit.