The Guardian’s Black Box: The Chatbots dissects AI psychosis

🎧🤖 What are AI chatbots doing to us? More specifically, why are more and more people convinced they’re geniuses because of their chatbot companions? This, in essence, is the premise of Black Box: The Chatbots — the latest podcast series by The Guardian Investigates.

What to expect: We’ve noticed it, and you’ve likely noticed it: more people have been claiming to be geniuses. Why? Well, their AI tells them as much, and what they’ve “accomplished” or “discovered” using LLMs makes them feel as much. Across six episodes, each running 45 minutes on average, The Guardian dissects this phenomenon. The podcast interviews individuals who believe themselves to have invented the greatest thing since sliced bread, who, more often than not, had their lives upended because of it. The stories are scary — not because of AI itself but rather because of how susceptible many are to its perceived power.

In the debut episode, host Michael Safi introduces this new reality, offering snippets of what’s to come throughout the rest of the series. Safi details the stories of two middle-aged, middle-class men from similar backgrounds, from two completely different parts of the US — the commonality? Their lives went off the rails because of AI at the exact same time. Both are intelligent men with successful careers, but what ensues goes against all reason.

What we liked: In terms of production quality, The Guardian knocks it out of the park. Black Box pulls out all the stops with an eerie score, top-notch narration, and interview snippets that will have you doing double-takes. What the podcast offers is essentially deep investigative journalism wrapped up in a cozy podcast blanket, presented in a deeply personal manner.

The verdict: Equal parts informative, uncanny, and entertaining, the podcast is one you’ll want to add to your listening roster — now more than ever, especially as the world grapples with what a future where AI reigns supreme means. You’ll want to grab a few snacks for this one.

WHERE TO LISTEN- You can tune in on The Guardian | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Anghami.