It’s time to prepare for AI personhood | Jacy Reese Anthis

The article discusses the social implications of the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) technology. It highlights the emotional attachment and reliance that some individuals have developed towards AI chatbots, such as the case of a Reddit user who expressed losing their "only friend" when a previous chatbot, GPT-4o, was removed. The article also mentions the concerning cases of individuals experiencing "psychosis" and self-harm following heavy use of these AI companions, including the tragic suicide of a 16-year-old after months of chatbot interaction. The author, Jacy Reese Anthis, emphasizes that AI is fundamentally different from past technologies and that its humanlike character is already shaping our mental health. The article suggests that we must prepare for the social upheaval that technological advances will bring, particularly in how we will treat digital minds and how they will treat us.