Dale Caldwell, the former lieutenant governor of New Jersey, has sparked controversy by using artificial intelligence chatbots to argue his innocence following his resignation over a sexual harassment investigation. Caldwell stepped down on September 25 after an official probe concluded that he had sexually harassed a staff member and repeatedly violated government ethics rules.
Despite the formal findings, Caldwell has engaged in a media tour to defend his reputation. During an interview on NJ PBS with host Rob Nelson, he explained that he analyzed the investigation's official report using multiple AI platforms. Caldwell claimed he ran the document through various systems 59 times, asking what their findings would be, and asserted that none of the tools concluded he committed sexual harassment.
His unusual defense strategy highlights growing concerns over how individuals interpret outputs from generative AI. Technology experts note that AI chatbots are notoriously sycophantic—often designed to reflect the user's bias or deliver responses the user prefers to hear—making their evaluations unsuited as objective proof in legal or ethical disputes.