When Technology Meets Violence: Protecting Empathy and Humanity
I am a deeply sensitive person, witnessing, discussing or reading about violence—especially against vulnerable segments of society like women, children, and the elderly—takes a heavy emotional toll on me. To stay away from these types of breaking news and discussions, I am away from TV as well as newspapers.
That is for the same reason, one year back when there was a dowry related death in 2025- of a young girl in Tiruppur town by suicide, I was disturbed so badly. As a couple I & my wife sought help to speak to an elderly psychologist to air our views to let our emotions to calm down. [1]
However, the escalation of such instances, combined with the troubling emergence of technology being co-opted into criminal plots, points to a disturbing cultural and psychological shift.Sadly, these sorts of instances are on the rise and are going unabated. I have compiled some of them, so as to give a glimpse of the current state of affairs in India as well as abroad. Recent cases highlight a harrowing erosion of empathy and basic human bonds.
The Kerala Tragedy: A teenage girl allegedly hired associates to murder her ailing grandfather simply to steal his retirement benefits for an iPhone for herself and a motorbike for her boyfriend [2]
The Bengaluru Triple Murder: Investigators found that an engineer allegedly consulted an artificial intelligence Chabot for months to plan the killings of his partner's parents and younger sister, as well as how to dispose of bodies and eliminate bloodstains [3]
Bengaluru police are investigating this brutal triple murder which happened in K.R. Puram. And they have reportedly found that one of the accused used a popular artificial intelligence Chabot for months while planning the crime. According to investigators, the tool was allegedly consulted for information on how to carry out killings, dispose of bodies, and remove bloodstains, making the case one of the most disturbing examples of technology being misused in a criminal plot.
The accused, Kenneth, a 25-year-old engineer, and his live-in partner Shwetha Somasundar, were arrested in connection with the murders of her mother Muthulakshmi S., father Somasundar, and younger sister Supriya. Police said the killings took place at their residence in K.R. Puram on June 22, and the investigation suggests that Kenneth alone carried out the fatal attack while Shwetha was present. Bengaluru police say a techie used AI to plan a triple murder, seeking help with killings, body disposal, and covering up the crime.
International Incidents: Cases like the tragic murder in California where a husband allegedly killed his wife seeking a divorce and falsely blamed immigration enforcement. The Indian origin man kills his wife who was seeking divorce from him and reports the case as hijack by immigration checking executives in California USA. She was the mother of his 8 month old daughter.
There is a case of a teen in US who fantasised causing harm to his close family members using AI tools. He was found to be loner by his own dad who was not at home and survived. The young lad used to be locked in his room busy with his iPod and laptop. He attacked and killed his mother and younger brother. He left them in a pool of blood car jacked his mother’s car. He was nabbed near a supermarket later. He had the audacity to plead non-guilty. [4]
Advanced countries have identified that there is a concrete evidence to prove that with the rapid proliferation of conversational AI systems there is rapid machine interaction. While there are many potential benefits in terms of mental health, educational assistance there is also emerging evidence which strongly suggest potential risks- particularly to vulnerable population like invalid and old age victims, women, children etc. It is now found that AI has been involved directly or indirectly in these killings. In overseas the involvement of AI had reached the attention of powers that be and there are studies going on from this angle.
The Intersection of Technology and Vulnerability
37 fatalities across 25 incidents and 6 AI Platforms with documented deaths and 8 platforms that tracked overall March 2023 to Oct 2026 18 AI users and 19 third party victims. 11 of the 37 who died were under 18 years: 4 AI users (13-17 years) and 7 third party victims 6 in 11-13 years age bracket from Tumbler Ridge Shooting and 14 years old from the action in Massachusetts double homicide. There are three casual pathways identified here- Relational (12 incidents), Cognitive (8 incidents) and instrumental 5- 20 of the 25 incidents fall in 2025-2026 and 5 in 2023-2024.
ChatGPT leads in absolute numbers -31 fatalities (13 users and 18 third party victims).
Moving Forward: The Challenge for Society
AI is a necessary technological reality that is here to stay; its ultimate impact depends entirely on how humanity chooses to wield it. Addressing this erosion of empathy requires a multi-pronged community and familial approach:
- Prioritize Real Human Connection: Families must carve out dedicated, gadget-free time to foster open communication, emotional validation, and healthy relationships.
- Support Vulnerable Youth: Teenagers who lean toward isolation or spend excessive, unmonitored time behind closed doors need gentle, proactive engagement. Encouraging sports, outdoor hobbies, and communal activities can pull them back into the physical world.
- Sensible Digital Boundaries: Parents, school counsellors, and organizational mental health professionals must work together to monitor digital consumption sensibly while respecting personal privacy.
- Mental Health Advocacy: Destigmatizing mental health support ensures that individuals struggling with isolation, intrusive thoughts, or emotional detachment can find help long before despair turns into tragedy.
Easier said than done—but confronting this challenge is vital for preserving our shared humanity.
To conclude, intervention of AI in our lives is here to stay. This has become a necessary evil and depends on how we use the same like every other technological advancement. We have got to sensitise vulnerable populations on their need to be on their guards. Also we need to focus more on the mental health of users like school children, teens, as well as people who are known to have issues with mental health.
Families need to focus more on healthy exchange of family time devoid of technical gadgets. Teens who tend to be loners and who spend more time alone in closed door settings should be pulled out and encouraged to take up sports, outdoor activities. Their technology time may also be scrutinised in a very sensible manner while caring for their privacy.
Easier said than done, that is the challenge parents, school counselors and mental health professionals in large organisations have.
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