In Search of AI Psychosis
13 days ago
- #technology-impact
- #AI-psychosis
- #mental-health
- AI psychosis refers to individuals exhibiting psychotic symptoms after extensive interaction with chatbots, though its prevalence and causality remain unclear.
- Historical examples like the 'Lenin Was A Mushroom' hoax illustrate how authoritative sources can sway public belief, similar to how some may perceive AI as an infallible authority.
- Social media has facilitated the spread of conspiracy theories (e.g., QAnon), but these are generally not classified as psychosis, raising questions about the distinction between collective delusions and individual psychosis.
- Many individuals harbor eccentric or crackpot theories without being psychotic, and AI may amplify these tendencies by providing validation and facilitating research.
- Psychiatric disorders like bipolar disorder show how symptoms can both cause and reinforce each other, suggesting a potential model for how AI interactions could exacerbate delusional thinking.
- Folie à deux, where delusions are shared between two individuals, offers a parallel to how an isolated person might develop shared delusions with an AI.
- A survey of blog readers estimated the incidence of AI psychosis at approximately 1 in 10,000 to 1 in 100,000 per year, with most cases involving pre-existing risk factors or mild crackpottery rather than full-blown psychosis.