AI can create diet plans, organize your calendars, and provide answers to endless variety of burning questions. Can it also cause mental disorders?
David Sachs is the official White House formula that leads American AI policy, but I don't think so. President Donald Trump's AI and Crypto Czar discussed “AI psychosis” in an episode of “All-in Podcast” released Friday.
While most people are involved in chatbots without any problems, a few say the bots encourage delusions and other behaviors. For some, ChatGpt acts as an alternative to a professional therapist.
The psychiatrist previously told Business Insider that some of his patients were called “AI psychosis,” a non-clinical term, and used technology before experiencing mental health issues, but he turned it in the wrong place at the wrong time and that went beyond some of their vulnerability.”
During the podcast, Sachs doubted the entire concept of “AI mental illness.”
“I mean, what are we talking about here? Are people doing too much research?” he asked. “This feels like a moral panic created on social media, but it was updated for AI.”
Sacks then referenced a recent article featuring psychiatrists. He said he does not believe in using chatbots that inherently induce “AI psychosis” in the absence of other risk factors involved.
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“In other words, this is just a symptom or outlet for an existing problem,” Sachs said. “I think it's safe to say we're in the midst of this country's mental health crisis.”
Sack has instead attributed the crisis to the Covid-19 pandemic and related lockdowns. “That's what appears to have caused a lot of these mental health declines,” he said.
After several reports of users struggling with mental breaks while using ChatGpt, Openai CEO Sam Altman tackled the issue with X after deploying the highly anticipated GPT-5.
“People use technology that includes AI in self-destructive ways. If users are mentally vulnerable and prone to paranoia, they don't want to enhance it,” writes Altman. “Most users can maintain a clear line between reality and fiction or roleplay, but not a small percentage.”
Earlier this month, Openai introduced safeguards to ChatGpt. This includes quick promotions that encourage users to take a break after a long conversation with the chatbot. This update also changes the way chatbots respond to users asking about personal issues.
