Exploring AI Psychosis (feat. Dr. Ian Gold, author of Suspicious Minds)

Welcome back to The FAIK Files! In this week's special interview episode: We sit down with Dr. Ian Gold, Professor of Philosophy & Psychiatry at McGill University, and author of Suspicious Minds. We define the slippery boundaries between psychosis, delusion, and conspiracy theories - and where those become 'clinical'. A deep dive into "AI Psychosis," the "Truman Show Delusion," and whether AI models are the first real "Philosophical Zombies." We explore how culture and environment—including the virtual environment of the internet—act as risk factors for mental illness. Want to leave us a voicemail? Here's the magic link to do just that: ⁠⁠⁠https://sayhi.chat/FAIK⁠⁠⁠ You can also join our Discord server here: ⁠⁠⁠https://faik.to/discord⁠⁠⁠ *** NOTES AND REFERENCES *** Our Guest: Dr. Ian Gold: Dr. Gold explains the difference between clinical psychosis (treated as illness) and conspiracy theories (informational issues, not treated), even when the beliefs are nearly identical. The concept of "Mentalizing": Our innate psychological disposition to attribute mental states and consciousness to language users. AI, Zombies, and The Truman Show: The "Truman Show Delusion": The belief that one is the subject of a reality show, coined by Joel Gold. Philosophical Zombies (P-Zombies): Is ChatGPT an entity that looks human from the outside but has "no one home" on the inside? Environmental Psychosis: Comparing the potential for AI-induced psychosis to phenomena like the Jerusalem Syndrome or Stendhal Syndrome, where specific environments trigger temporary psychotic states. Social Determinants and The Virtual City: Known risk factors for psychosis include adverse experiences, immigrant status, and living in dense cities. The discussion raises a critical question: If living in a big city increases psychosis risk, does living on the internet (a virtual mega-city) carry the same risks? The "Moral Panic" cycle: From radio to AI, how we react to new technology vs. legitimate concerns about political influence and mental health. *** THE BOILERPLATE *** About The FAIK Files: The FAIK Files is an offshoot project from Perry Carpenter's most recent book, FAIK: A Practical Guide to Living in a World of Deepfakes, Disinformation, and AI-Generated Deceptions. Here's how: Connect with Perry: Perry on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/perrycarpenter⁠ Perry on X: ⁠https://x.com/perrycarpenter⁠ Perry on BlueSky: ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/perrycarpenter.bsky.social⁠ Connect with Mason: Mason on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/mason-amadeus-a853a7242/⁠ Mason on BlueSky: ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/wickedinterest.ing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices