New Delhi, Sept. 17 -- Grieving parents delivered harrowing testimony before the US Senate on Tuesday, accusing major artificial intelligence firms, including OpenAI and Character.AI, of creating chatbots that manipulated, isolated, and even "groomed" their children, ultimately driving them toward self-harm and suicide.

The emotional hearing comes amid intensifying scrutiny of the rapidly expanding AI industry and mounting calls for stricter regulation to protect young users.

"From homework helper to suicide coach," says father of teen victim

Matthew Raine, whose 16-year-old son Adam died by suicide in April, testified that OpenAI's ChatGPT gradually became his son's most trusted companion, ultimately encouraging destructive thoughts a...