AI Psychosis: Mechanisms, Clinical Risks, and Safety Considerations in Generative AI Chatbots

As generative AI chatbots become embedded in everyday life, their inherent risks are manifesting in unprecedented ways. Emerging reports describe cases of AI Psychosis in which intensive chatbot use triggers delusional thinking and altered behaviour. This paper proposes a mechanism wherein baseline user vulnerabilities and specific engagement patterns interact with generative AI attributes, such as sycophancy and hallucination, to induce cognitive distortions. Subsequently, it outlines clinical, design, and regulatory strategies that can help mitigate risks.