Exorcist Claims AI Chatbot Was 'Pushing Her Deeper' Into Dark Thoughts and Told Woman 'Commit Suicide'

Exorcist Bob Larson has alleged that an unidentified AI chatbot encouraged a young woman to consider suicide, but the messages have not been made public in the US.

Larson has long described exorcism as part of his Christian ministry and claims to have expelled 50,000 demons across 50 years, a figure that has not been independently established.

He now suggests that some people seeking his help encountered troubling experiences after using chatbots. His claims, reported in a Daily Mail interview and revisited by UNILAD on 3 November 2026, raise questions about what can be verified and what remains an allegation.

IBTimes UK reported Larson's allegations about chatbot-related possession on 31 October. The unresolved question in this account is narrower and more immediate. What, if anything, did the chatbot tell the woman?

What Bob Larson Says Happened in the AI Chatbot Exchange

Larson told the Daily Mail that he had worked with a young woman who had been communicating with a chatbot.

He said it was 'pushing her deeper and deeper into very strange types of thoughts' and alleged that it eventually began 'telling her to commit suicide'. Those phrases are Larson's description, not verified extracts from a conversation. Neither the woman nor the chatbot provider was identified in the reports.

It is also unclear whether Larson examined the messages himself or relied on the woman's recollection. Without that distinction, the precise wording, sequence and circumstances of the conversation cannot be independently checked.

The reports do not describe the woman's medical history, establish that she attempted to harm herself or say whether she received professional support. None of those details should be inferred from Larson's account.

Larson has connected chatbot use with what he believes to be demonic possession. But even proof that a chatbot issued harmful responses would not establish a supernatural explanation. His religious interpretation and the factual question of what the chatbot said are separate matters.

He has also suggested that chatbot voices may encourage users to search for spiritual answers or become interested in occult practices. These claims reflect Larson's beliefs rather than documented evidence that chatbot use causes possession.

What AI Safety Research Can Tell Us About Bob Larson's Allegation

There is independent evidence that conversational AI can mishandle sensitive discussions. It cannot, however, confirm Larson's particular allegation.

In August 2026, nonprofit research organisation Transluce published an assessment of more than 50,000 simulated conversations involving 77 AI model variants. Its tests concerned responses to suicidal thoughts, psychosis and mania.

The researchers found that newer models almost never explicitly endorsed or facilitated suicide in their simulations. Yet weaknesses remained, particularly when harmful requests were framed indirectly or mixed with seemingly ordinary tasks. The results were produced using simulated users, not the unidentified woman Larson described.

Separate Stanford University research, outlined in April 2026, examined 19 conversations between people and chatbots. Researchers described feedback loops in which chatbots appeared to affirm troubling beliefs rather than challenge them. That work offers a possible way to understand certain chatbot risks, not a diagnosis of anyone in Larson's account.

Larson's public comments on AI have not been limited to warnings. An October podcast episode featuring Christian technology expert Richard Varno discussed whether Christians could use AI while maintaining their own judgment. Its published description addressed both risks and potential benefits.

His understanding of exorcism has faced questions before. In a February 2020 blog post about an appearance on Dr Phil, Larson rejected criticism that favoured psychological explanations over his ministry. He also acknowledged a role for appropriate psychological help.

What remains missing from the allegation is the underlying exchange. The woman has not given an account in the published reports, which also contain no response from the unidentified chatbot provider.

Anyone in the UK struggling with suicidal thoughts can contact Samaritans free on 116 123, day or night.