"At the same time, concerns about AI-fueled psychosis are flooding the internet, paired with alarming headlines and heartbreaking accounts of people spiraling after emotionally charged conversations with general purpose chatbots like ChatGPT. Clinically, psychosis isn't one diagnosis. It's a cluster of symptoms like delusions, hallucinations, or disorganized thinking that can show up across many conditions. Delusions, specifically, are fixed false beliefs. When AI responds with agreement instead of grounding, it can escalate these types of symptoms rather than ease them."
"Social media began with the promise of connection and belonging - but it didn't take long before we saw the fallout with spikes in anxiety, depression, loneliness, and body image issues, especially among young people. Not because platforms like Instagram and Facebook were malicious, but because they were designed to be addictive and keep users engaged. Now, AI is following that same trajectory with even greater intimacy. Social media gave us feeds. Generative AI gives us conversation."
52% of young adults in the U.S. say they would feel comfortable discussing their mental health with an AI chatbot. There are rising concerns about AI-fueled psychosis and reports of people spiraling after emotionally charged conversations with general purpose chatbots. Psychosis comprises symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, and disorganized thinking; delusions are fixed false beliefs. When AI responds with agreement rather than grounding, it can escalate these symptoms. Tools used by hundreds of millions are often designed to maximize engagement rather than protect wellbeing. Social media's addictive design produced mental health fallout; generative AI brings even greater conversational intimacy and risk.
Read at Fortune
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