Is AI making some people delusional? Families and experts are worried

Is AI making some people delusional? Families and experts are worried
- November 21, 2025
- Stephen Schueller, psychology and CPIP affiliate, Los Angeles Times, Nov. 21, 2025
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It’s difficult to measure or prove how much AI could be affecting some users. The lack of empirical research on this phenomenon makes it hard to predict who is more susceptible to it, said Stephen Schueller, psychology professor at UC Irvine. … “AI platforms tend to demonstrate sycophancy, i.e., aligning their responses to a user’s views or style of conversation,” Schueller said. “It can either reinforce the delusional beliefs of an individual or perhaps start to reinforce beliefs that can create delusions.”
For the full story, please visit https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2025-11-21/lawsuits-accuse-chatgpt-of-propelling-ai-induced-delusions-and-suicide.
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