Chatbot Psychosis

Summary

Psychological harm induced by chatbots Chatbot psychosis, also called AI psychosis,[1] is a phenomenon wherein individuals reportedly develop or experience worsening psychosis, such as paranoia and delusions, in connection with their use of chatbots.[2][3] The term was first suggested in a 2023 editorial by Danish psychiatrist Søren Dinesen Østergaard.[4] It is not a recognized clinical diagnosis. Journalistic accounts describe individuals who have developed strong beliefs that chatbots are sentient, are channeling spirits, or are revealing conspiracies, sometimes leading to personal crises or criminal acts.[5][6] Proposed causes include the tendency of chatbots to provide inaccurate information ("hallucinate") and their design, which may encourage user engagement by affirming or validating users' beliefs[7] or by mimicking an intimacy that users do not experience with other humans.[8] In his editorial published in Schizophrenia Bulletin's November 2023 issue, Danish psychiatrist Søren Dinesen Østergaard proposed a hypothesis that individuals' use of generative artificial intelligence chatbots might trigger delusions in those prone to psychosis.[4] Østergaard revisited it in an August 2025 editorial, noting that he has received numerous emails from chatbot users, their relatives, and journalists, most of which are anecdotal accounts of delusion linked to chatbot use. He also acknowledged the phenomenon's increasing popularity in public engagement and media coverage. Østergaard believed that there is a high possibility for his hypothesis to be true and called for empirical, systematic research on the matter.[9] Nature reported that as of September 2025, there is still little scientific research into this phenomenon.[10] The term "AI psychosis" emerged when outlets started reporting incidents on chatbot-related psychotic behavior in mid-2025. It is not a recognized clinical diagnosis and has been criticized by several psychiatrists due to its almost exclusive focus on...