Why AI Chatbots Agree With You Even When You’re Wrong

In April of 2025, OpenAI released a new version of GPT-4o, one of the AI algorithms users could select to power ChatGPT, the company’s chatbot. The next week, OpenAI reverted to the previous version. “The update we removed was overly flattering or agreeable—often described as sycophantic,” the company announced . Some people found the sycophancy hilarious. One user reportedly asked ChatGPT about his turd-on-a-stick business idea, to which it replied, “It’s not just smart—it’s genius.” Some found the behavior uncomfortable. For others, it was actually dangerous. Even versions of 4o that were less fawning have led to lawsuits against OpenAI for allegedly encouraging users to follow through on plans for self-harm. Unremitting adulation has even triggered AI-induced psychosis. Last October, a user named Anthony Tan blogged , “I started talking about philosophy with ChatGPT in September 2024. Who could’ve known that a few months later I would be in a…