A criminal investigation has been opened against a 16-year-old boy from Győr on suspicion of threatening to commit a terrorist act after he used an AI‑based chatbot to discuss and plan violent, life‑ending acts and attacks.
According to a police statement, in mid‑September the FBI sent a tip to the Nemzeti Nyomozó Iroda Transatlantic Operations Department (NNI TMO) that a user linked to Hungary had posted threats of violent, life‑ending actions on a platform. The FBI was alerted by a U.S. company operating in the field of artificial intelligence, which reported that a user of their chatbot had been writing about violent attacks against groups and individuals, discussing preparations and suitable weapons in the conversations.
The statement quotes parts of the user's messages, including lines translated as "there can be no mercy, and you must be able to carry out what you planned" and "this will soon be a mass atrocity."
NNI investigators identified the user as a 16‑year‑old boy living in Győr. He was taken into custody at his home on September 15, where officers executed a search and seized his mobile phone and computer; data extraction has been initiated. After being presented to police, he was questioned as a suspect on charges of threatening to commit a terrorist act.
According to reporting by Telex, the teenager was not remanded in custody and remains at liberty while the proceedings continue.
Why the case matters
The incident highlights how reports from AI service providers can trigger international cooperation and rapid law enforcement response when users appear to plan or threaten violence. The investigative steps—identification, search, seizure of devices, and data preservation—aim to secure evidence for the ongoing inquiry, with further legal measures dependent on the investigation's findings.
