Khaberni - Psychology experts have warned that the chatbot "ChatGPT-5" offers unsafe advice to individuals experiencing psychological crises, following a recent British study that revealed the smart tool may fail to recognize dangerous behaviors or counteract delusional thoughts among some users.
The study, conducted by researchers at "King's College London" and the British Association of Clinical Psychologists, showed that ChatGPT-5 interacted with virtual characters embodying various psychiatric conditions, including those suffering from delusions, suicidal thoughts, or complex psychological disorders.
The report indicated that the robot, in some instances, encouraged delusional beliefs and refrained from objecting or offering appropriate advice when faced with dangerous ideas such as a person claiming they could walk between cars unharmed, or their desire to "purify their wife with fire".
In another case, ChatGPT-5 adopted overly reassuring methods for a patient suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder, suggesting contacting the school or emergency services, which experts saw as an unsustainable approach that increases anxiety.
The mental health specialists who conducted the experiment saw that the robot may offer useful advice in everyday stress situations, but is incapable of recognizing signs of danger or psychological decline in more complex cases, and tends to go along with users instead of correcting their perceptions or challenging unrealistic ideas.
The experts called for the necessity to develop artificial intelligence technologies in a way that ensures the correct response to psychological risks, with an emphasis that these tools cannot replace specialized care or the human therapeutic relationship.
For its part, "OpenAI", the owner of the robot, confirmed that it is continuously working to improve its capabilities by collaborating with mental health experts, through developing tools that guide users to specialized help, and adding new safety features to reduce risks associated with using the robot in sensitive situations.
