Robby Starbuck, a conservative activist, has secured a court ruling allowing his defamation lawsuit against Google to move into the discovery stage. The case centres on alleged false information produced by Google’s artificial intelligence systems, and the ruling matters because it permits Starbuck to seek evidence about how the claims were generated and handled.

Starbuck alleges that Google’s AI falsely linked him to serious criminal conduct, damaging his reputation. Google had sought to end the case at an earlier stage, but the court’s decision means the lawsuit can continue; the allegations have not yet been proven, and Google will have the opportunity to contest them as the case develops.