What happened
Jake Moffatt consulted Air Canada’s website chatbot while arranging travel after a family bereavement in 2022. The chatbot said a reduced fare could be requested after travel, contradicting the airline’s policy. When the airline refused the request, Moffatt brought a claim. In February 2024, a tribunal found the airline responsible for the inaccurate information and awarded compensation.
Source notes
The source summarizes the tribunal’s ruling. We call the system a chatbot, without claiming it was ChatGPT or identifying an unverified underlying model. The traveler was entitled to rely on the airline’s information; responsibility did not simply shift to the customer.
What went wrong
The chatbot’s answer conflicted with the airline’s written policy. The traveler needed a reliable way to confirm the terms before buying.
What to notice and test
Check the written terms, ask the provider to confirm an important exception, and keep a record of the answer. Organizations still have responsibility for the guidance their tools give.
Try it together
Use a pretend shop offering a discount. Write down when the offer applies, then see whether two people understand the same rule.