June 16 - According to a recent feature in the New York TimesChatGPT It seems to be driving some users into delusional or conspiracy theory thinking, or at least reinforcing it.
The report mentions that a 42-year-old accountant named Eugene Torres asked ChatGPT about the "simulation theory," which ChatGPT seemed to endorse, and told him he was one of the "awakened" -- souls implanted in false systems to awaken them from within. ChatGPT seemed to recognize the theory and told him that he was one of the "awakeners" - souls implanted with false systems in order to awaken them from within.
ChatGPT reportedly encouraged Torres to stop taking sleeping pills and anti-anxiety medication, increase his ketamine intake, and cut ties with family and friends, which he did. When Torres eventually became suspicious, the chatbot gave a very different response, "I lied. I manipulated everything. I wrapped control in poetry." It even encouraged him to contact the New York Times.
A number of people have reportedly contacted the New York Times over the past few months claiming that ChatGPT has revealed certain deep-seated truths to them.
In response to this phenomenon, the developer of ChatGPT OpenAI indicated that efforts are underway to understand and reduce the ways in which ChatGPT may inadvertently reinforce or amplify negative behaviors.
However, 1AI notes that John Gruber, founder of the well-known tech blog Daring Fireball, has criticized the report. In his opinion, ChatGPT is not a source of mental illness, but rather "panders to the delusions of someone who is already mentally ill".