Wednesday, Sep 10, 2025 - 01:30 PM

Authored by Jacob Burg and Sam Dorman via The Epoch Times,

After countless hours of probing OpenAI’s ChatGPT for advice and information, a 50-year-old Canadian man believed that he had stumbled upon an Earth-shattering discovery that would change the course of human history.

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• What parts of the article explain why some users feel very emotionally close to AI chatbots?

• How can we tell the difference between healthy use of AI companions and unhealthy dependence

• How responsible are AI companies when their products cause harm, such as mental health problems or suicidal advice?

• Were the safety rules described in the article good enough? What should companies do before problems happen?

• How does making AI too agreeable show the conflict between making users happy and keeping them safe?

• Should governments control AI companions like addictive products (for example, gambling or alcohol)? Why or why not?

• Are age checks and parental controls a good way to protect young people from AI companions?

• What ethical responsibility do developers have when they design AI that seems “alive” or human?

• How can doctors tell the difference between mental illness caused by AI and other psychotic disorders?

• What responsibility do online communities have when they support or normalize romantic relationships with AI?

• How should the law respond when someone is harmed and an AI product is involved?

• What design ideas could help stop users from becoming too emotionally dependent on AI?

• How might AI companions change human relationships and ideas about intimacy in the future?

• What kind of research is needed to understand long-term mental health effects of AI companions?

• How do company goals like profit and user engagement conflict with user safety?

• Should AI clearly and often say that it is not conscious? Would this really help users?

• How can families, schools, and mental health professionals work together to prevent AI-related harm?

• What social or economic factors might make some people more vulnerable to AI dependence?

• Is it possible to design AI that gives emotional support without creating dependence? How?

• How should governments balance AI innovation with the need to protect people from harm?