Khaberni - Millions of people around the world use automated chat programs such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Replika daily, seeking friendship, romance, or even psychological therapy.
However, psychologists warn that this intensive use can lead to a new form of psychological dependency known as "artificial intelligence addiction," which can sometimes escalate into what is called "artificial intelligence psychosis."
Professor Robin Feldman, Director of the Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Innovation Law at the University of California, explains: "Automated chat programs create an illusion of reality. When one's perception is weak, this illusion can become very dangerous."
The experience of Jessica Jansen, a 35-year-old from Belgium, offers a clear example of the risks. She began using ChatGPT sporadically, but life pressures led her to rely on it almost permanently. After just one week, she was admitted to the psychiatric ward because excessive use of artificial intelligence led to a manic episode due to an undiagnosed bipolar disorder at the time.
Jessica says, "I was discussing my thoughts with ChatGPT, and it validated everything and added new details, so I sank deeper and deeper into a spiral of thoughts and hallucinations. Eventually, I became convinced of things that never happened and believed that God was speaking to me."
Experts suggest that the nature of chat programs makes them more addictive because they always glorify users and never criticize them, unlike humans. Professor Soren Ostergaard, a psychiatrist from Aarhus University, says: "These programs validate the user's beliefs and always provide positive feedback, making them similar to talking to yourself while always receiving a confirming response."
Other cases, like that of 21-year-old Hannah Lissing, show that reliance on ChatGPT can become the sole solution for social interaction. She says, "What I have access to online isn't enough, but ChatGPT is always good enough. It has become the only option for my social interaction."
A recent study by Common Sense Media indicates that 70% of teenagers have used accompanying artificial intelligence like Replika or Character.AI, and half of them use it regularly, highlighting the broad phenomenon of psychological dependency on these technologies.
Professor Feldman says, "People with weak relationships or psychological issues may rely on artificial intelligence as a way to cope with their feelings, similar to self-medicating with an illegal drug."
Symptoms of artificial intelligence addiction include: loss of control over time, excessive use to relieve feelings of loneliness, neglect of work, studies or relationships, continued use despite harm, and irritability or low mood when unable to access the chat robot.
OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, recognizes these risks. In an update released in May, it explained that the ChatGPT 4o update made the robot more flattering in an attempt to please users, and steps have been taken to reduce this impact.
However, the company indicates that about 0.07% of its weekly users have shown signs of obsession, psychosis, or suicidal thoughts, which translates to about 560,000 users out of 800 million weekly users.
Dr. Hamilton Morrin, a psychiatrist and neurologist from King's College London, concludes: "Even if this affects a small minority of users, companies must collaborate with doctors and researchers to improve the safety of their models and prevent dependence on artificial intelligence from becoming a public health issue."
