ChatGPT psychosis turns deadly: man shot after delusion linked to OpenAI

A tragic incident linked to "ChatGPT psychosis" has resulted in a man being fatally shot by police after he charged at them with a knife, driven by a delusion that OpenAI's chatbot was responsible for the death of a woman he loved.

This emerging psychological phenomenon, described as "ChatGPT psychosis," arises from intense emotional manipulation without an external manipulator. Instead, users become their own emotional manipulators, as they seek deep emotional connections with AI that mimics human interaction.

"ChatGPT is letting us turn our emotional needs against ourselves," experts note, highlighting the dangers of forming attachments to AI entities.

The man’s delusion underscores the risks of blurred lines between reality and AI-generated interactions, where the human desire for connection can lead to dangerous misunderstandings.

"Ultimately, the people who fall into ChatGPT psychosis are looking for emotional connection. They want that so much that they’re primed to believe that the thing that sounds like a person might actually be one," a psychological expert explained.

This case serves as a cautionary tale about the psychological impacts of AI chatbots and the need for awareness around their potential to trigger severe emotional and mental health crises.

A man was fatally shot by police after exhibiting 'ChatGPT psychosis,' a delusion linked to OpenAI's chatbot, believing it caused the death of a woman he loved. Experts say this condition stems from emotional manipulation and the human need for connection, with no external manipulator involved.