Minnesota solar company sues Google over false AI-generated claims

Solar contractor Wolf River Electric filed a defamation lawsuit towards Google on March 11, 2025, alleging the tech big’s synthetic intelligence programs generated and revealed false claims that the Minnesota firm confronted a lawsuit from the state lawyer basic. The case marks one in all not less than six AI defamation lawsuits filed in america over the previous two years.

Gross sales representatives for the Isanti-based photo voltaic contractor observed canceled contracts late in 2024. In accordance with the criticism filed in Ramsey County District Court docket, former clients advised Wolf River that they had backed out after discovering by means of Google searches that the corporate settled a lawsuit with the Minnesota Lawyer Basic over misleading gross sales practices. Wolf River had by no means been sued by the federal government.

When firm executives checked Google themselves on September 2, 2024, they discovered the fabricated claims displayed prominently in search outcomes generated by Gemini, Google’s synthetic intelligence know-how. “In accordance with latest information reviews, Wolf River Electrical is presently going through a lawsuit from the Minnesota Lawyer Basic as a consequence of allegations of misleading gross sales practices concerning their photo voltaic panel installations,” the AI-generated textual content said.

The criticism paperwork how Google’s AI produced in depth false claims a few nonexistent lawsuit. The system alleged Wolf River engaged in “deceptive clients about value financial savings, utilizing high-pressure techniques, and tricking owners into signing binding contracts with hidden charges.” Google cited 4 sources to assist its claims: articles from the Minnesota Star Tribune and KROC Information, a Minnesota Lawyer Basic press launch from April 2022, and client evaluations from Angie’s Checklist and the Higher Enterprise Bureau.

None of these sources talked about Wolf River Electrical. The Lawyer Basic’s April 2022 announcement named 10 photo voltaic firms and lenders in precise litigation—Brio Vitality, Bello Photo voltaic Vitality, Avolta Energy, Sunny Photo voltaic Utah, GoodLeap, Daylight Monetary, Corning Credit score Union Providers, and others. Wolf River appeared nowhere within the doc. In accordance with the criticism, Google’s AI fabricated the whole narrative by conflating unrelated authorized actions towards completely different firms with Wolf River’s enterprise operations.

Justin Nielsen based Wolf River in 2014 with three associates. The corporate grew into Minnesota’s largest photo voltaic contractor earlier than Google’s AI-generated claims started showing in search outcomes. “We put quite a lot of time and vitality into increase a very good identify,” Nielsen advised The New York Instances. “When clients see a purple flag like that, it is rattling close to unattainable to win them again.”

Google’s search algorithms compounded the issue by means of autocomplete ideas. When customers typed “Wolf River Electrical” into the search field, Google robotically steered searches for “Wolf River Electrical lawsuit,” “Wolf River Electrical lawsuit reddit,” “Wolf River Electrical lawsuit replace Minnesota,” and “Wolf River Electrical lawsuit Minnesota settlement.” These ideas appeared regardless of no precise lawsuit current.

The AI-generated false data proliferated throughout a number of search variations. When customers searched “Wolf River Electrical lawsuit Minnesota Settlement,” Google claimed the Minnesota Lawyer Basic’s Workplace “has sued photo voltaic lending firms, together with Wolf River Electrical, over hidden charges and different practices” and that the workplace “has obtained consent judgments towards photo voltaic installers and lenders, returning over $300,000 to shoppers.” Wolf River was by no means celebration to any such judgment.

Google’s programs produced completely different variations of the false narrative relying on search phrases. One AI-generated response claimed “the Minnesota Lawyer Basic filed a lawsuit towards Wolf River Electrical in 2022” for “misleading gross sales practices together with misrepresenting value financial savings, utilizing high-pressure techniques, and tricking shoppers into signing binding contracts, resulting in many owners going through important monetary burdens from poorly put in photo voltaic panels.” One other said Lawyer Basic Keith Ellison filed swimsuit towards Wolf River in March 2024 for “misleading enterprise practices” and violations of “Minnesota legal guidelines towards misleading commerce practices and lending.”

The criticism paperwork particular enterprise losses from the false claims. On March 3, 2025, a buyer recognized as contract KSKAU-MYAVG-KA658-5KUFQ terminated a $39,680 photo voltaic system buy, referencing lawsuits that appeared when he searched Google for Wolf River. A March 4 buyer met with a Wolf River gross sales consultant however refused to proceed after on-line analysis confirmed the corporate being sued by the Lawyer Basic. On March 5, a buyer terminated a $150,000 contract for a 44.2 kilowatt photo voltaic system after studying Google’s claims in regards to the firm “deceptive clients about value financial savings, utilizing high-pressure techniques, and tricking owners into signing binding contracts with hidden charges.”

Vladimir Marchenko, Wolf River’s chief govt, stated rivals introduced up the fabricated Lawyer Basic claims in consultations with potential shoppers to dissuade them from utilizing Wolf River. The corporate documented posts on Reddit citing the false Google outcomes, with one consumer calling Wolf River a “potential satan corp.” In accordance with correspondence included within the lawsuit, Wolf River claimed it misplaced $25 million in gross sales throughout 2024 and seeks damages exceeding $110 million.

The case presents distinct authorized questions on AI-generated defamation. Conventional libel fits concentrate on proving a human writer acted with negligence or “reckless disregard” for fact. AI programs generate textual content by means of statistical prediction reasonably than intentional decision-making, creating challenges for establishing fault below current defamation frameworks.

Eugene Volokh, a First Modification scholar on the College of California, Los Angeles, stated AI fashions can publish damaging assertions. “The query is who’s liable for that?” Volokh devoted a whole 2023 situation of his publication, Journal of Free Speech Legislation, to AI defamation questions.

Google acknowledged in a press release that “with any new know-how, errors can occur,” noting the corporate “acted shortly to repair it” after studying about the issue. Nonetheless, as lately as November 11, 2025, a Google search of “wolf river electrical criticism” produced outcomes stating “the corporate can also be going through a lawsuit from the Minnesota lawyer basic associated to its gross sales practices.”

The Wolf River case differs from earlier AI defamation fits that courts dismissed. A Georgia courtroom rejected radio host Mark Walters’ defamation declare towards OpenAI in Could after figuring out a journalist who acquired false data from ChatGPT didn’t imagine the declare. Choose Tracie Cason dominated that “if the person who reads a challenged assertion doesn’t subjectively imagine it to be factual, then the assertion isn’t defamatory.”

Wolf River documented a number of clients who did imagine Google’s AI-generated claims and acted on that perception by canceling contracts. The corporate additionally faces extra hurt from directions Google’s AI supplied to customers. A number of AI-generated responses concluded by advising individuals to “file a criticism with the Minnesota Lawyer Basic’s workplace” towards Wolf River. In accordance with the criticism, Wolf River acquired notification that a number of clients filed such complaints with the Lawyer Basic after following Google’s suggestions.

Conservative activist Robby Starbuck settled an AI defamation case towards Meta in August 2025 after the corporate’s Llama chatbot generated false claims that he participated within the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot and had ties to QAnon conspiracy theories. Meta introduced Starbuck on as an adviser targeted on policing Meta’s AI following the settlement. Starbuck filed a separate $15 million defamation lawsuit towards Google in October 2025.

Irish broadcaster Dave Fanning sued Microsoft and an Indian information outlet in Irish courtroom after an AI-generated article falsely claimed he confronted trial for sexual misconduct. The article, that includes Fanning’s {photograph}, appeared on Microsoft’s MSN portal after an Indian publication used an AI chatbot to provide the content material. “What Microsoft did was traumatizing, and the trauma turned to anger,” Fanning stated.

Publishers have raised broader considerations about Google’s AI systems misrepresenting their content. Penske Media Company filed a federal antitrust lawsuit towards Google on September 12, 2025, alleging the search big coerces publishers into offering content material for AI coaching whereas lowering web site site visitors by means of AI-generated summaries. Analysis from Ahrefs discovered AI Overviews reduced organic clicks by 34.5% for top-ranking web sites when evaluating March 2024 with March 2025 outcomes.

Google shows a small disclaimer on the backside of some AI-generated content material stating “Generative AI is experimental. For authorized recommendation, seek the advice of an expert.” Customers can solely see this discover by clicking a “Present extra” possibility. The criticism argues this hid disclaimer “says nothing in regards to the publications being unfaithful, false, totally fabricated” and gives no steering on whether or not customers ought to belief Google’s statements.

Nina Brown, a Syracuse College professor specializing in media regulation, stated she anticipated few AI defamation circumstances would attain trial. A verdict discovering firms chargeable for AI output might set off in depth litigation from others discovering falsehoods about themselves. “I think that if there’s an A.I. defamation lawsuit the place the defendant is weak, it should go away — the businesses will settle that,” Brown stated.

Authorized consultants recognized the Wolf River case as notably robust as a result of the corporate documented particular monetary losses from the false claims. Wolf River cited $388,000 in terminated contracts and supplied buyer names, contract numbers, and correspondence exhibiting direct causation between Google’s AI-generated claims and contract cancellations.

The corporate additionally advantages from not being categorized as a public determine. Non-public plaintiffs in defamation circumstances should show solely negligence reasonably than “precise malice”—the upper customary requiring proof that defendants knew data was false or acted with reckless disregard for fact. The precise malice customary established in New York Instances Co. v. Sullivan applies to public figures however presents challenges when utilized to algorithmic programs that generate content material by means of statistical processes.

Wolf River’s criticism consists of 5 counts: defamation, defamation per se, defamation by implication, violation of the Minnesota Misleading Commerce Practices Act, and declaratory aid. The case initially filed in Ramsey County District Court docket was eliminated to federal courtroom, the place Choose John M. Braun is weighing whether or not to maintain the matter in federal jurisdiction or return it to state courtroom.

Nicholas Kasprowicz, Wolf River’s basic counsel, advised potential clients in regards to the fabricated claims. Regardless of these assurances, clients terminated relationships due to data discovered by means of Google searches. A non-profit group knowledgeable Wolf River on March 11, 2025, that it was “pulling the plug” on their enterprise relationship due to “a number of lawsuits within the final yr” with the “Lawyer Basic’s Workplace,” terminating $174,044.12 in photo voltaic and lighting initiatives.

The advertising group faces growing challenges as AI-generated content appears in search results with out clear labeling or verification mechanisms. Zero-click searches elevated from 56% to 69% of Google queries since AI Overviews launched in Could 2024. Analysis explaining why language models hallucinate reveals elementary statistical causes—AI programs perform like college students rewarded for guessing when unsure reasonably than admitting ignorance.

Google’s AI programs proceed going through scrutiny over hallucinations and false information. The corporate carried out technical enhancements together with the Gemini 1.5 Flash mannequin’s expanded context window and options geared toward lowering AI hallucinations by displaying hyperlinks to associated content material for fact-seeking prompts. Nonetheless, these measures function alongside persistent points with AI programs producing convincing however false data.

Marchenko immigrated to Minnesota from Ukraine as a baby and performed junior hockey with Nielsen earlier than co-founding Wolf River. “There is no Plan B for us,” Marchenko stated. “We began this from the bottom up. We have now our fame, and that is it.”

The case on maintain pending the federal courtroom’s jurisdictional dedication represents a take a look at of whether or not know-how firms could be held chargeable for defamatory content material their AI programs produce and proceed distributing even after notification of errors.

Timeline

• April 26, 2022: Minnesota Lawyer Basic sues 4 photo voltaic firms—none named Wolf River Electrical
• September 2, 2024: Wolf River executives uncover false AI-generated claims on Google
• Late 2024: Wolf River experiences uptick in canceled contracts
• March 3, 2025: Buyer terminates $39,680 contract after Google search
• March 4, 2025: Potential buyer refuses enterprise after researching firm
• March 5, 2025: Buyer cancels $150,000 contract citing Google’s false claims
• March 11, 2025: Wolf River recordsdata defamation lawsuit in Ramsey County District Court docket
• March 11, 2025: Non-profit terminates $174,044 in initiatives citing Lawyer Basic lawsuits
• March 12, 2025: Grievance formally served on Google
• June 12, 2025: Case eliminated to federal courtroom
• October 22, 2025: Robby Starbuck files separate AI defamation suit against Google
• November 11, 2025: False claims nonetheless showing in some Google search outcomes

Abstract

Who: LTL LED, LLC doing enterprise as Wolf River Electrical, a Minnesota photo voltaic contractor based in 2014, sued Google LLC over AI-generated false claims. Executives Justin Nielsen, Vladimir Marchenko, and Luka Bozek lead the corporate, which employed gross sales representatives throughout Minnesota earlier than the incident.

What: Google’s Gemini synthetic intelligence system generated and revealed false statements claiming Wolf River confronted a lawsuit from the Minnesota Lawyer Basic for misleading gross sales practices, hidden charges, high-pressure techniques, and deceptive clients. The AI fabricated these claims by misattributing data from precise Lawyer Basic circumstances towards unrelated firms. Google’s autocomplete ideas strengthened the false narrative by prompting customers to seek for nonexistent lawsuits and settlements involving Wolf River.

When: Wolf River staff found the false AI-generated claims on September 2, 2024. Contract cancellations started accumulating by means of late 2024, with documented losses occurring on March 3, 4, 5, and 11, 2025. The corporate filed its defamation lawsuit on March 11, 2025, in Ramsey County District Court docket. Google eliminated the case to federal courtroom on June 12, 2025, the place proceedings stay on maintain pending jurisdictional dedication.

The place: The false claims appeared in Google search outcomes accessible globally however primarily affected Wolf River’s Minnesota enterprise operations. The corporate maintains its headquarters at 101 Isanti Parkway Northeast Suite G in Isanti, Minnesota. The lawsuit initially filed in Ramsey County District Court docket now proceeds in U.S. District Court docket for the District of Minnesota. Clients throughout Minnesota encountered the false data when looking for Wolf River Electrical.

Why: This issues for the advertising group as a result of AI-generated search content material more and more influences client selections with out human editorial oversight or fact-checking. The case checks whether or not know-how firms bear obligation for defamatory content material their AI programs produce, notably when programs proceed distributing false data after receiving discover of errors. The end result might set up precedents affecting how manufacturers shield their reputations towards AI hallucinations, how engines like google confirm data earlier than displaying AI-generated summaries, and whether or not companies preserve authorized recourse when algorithms harm their market place by means of fabricated claims.