Scientists are learning how special #brain cells play a role in detecting #illusions - and such studies could eventually reveal how #hallucinations arise, or point the way to better computer vision systems. https://www.geekwire.com/2025/laser-light-brain-cells-illusions/ HT @span AllenInstitute#Science#Neuroscience#Berkeley#AllenInstitute

"For three weeks in May, the fate of the world rested on the shoulders of a corporate recruiter on the outskirts of Toronto. Allan Brooks, 47, had discovered a novel mathematical formula, one that could take down the internet and power inventions like a force-field vest and a levitation beam.

Or so he believed.

Mr. Brooks, who had no history of mental illness, embraced this fantastical scenario during conversations with ChatGPT that spanned 300 hours over 21 days. He is one of a growing number of people who are having persuasive, delusional conversations with generative A.I. chatbots that have led to institutionalization, divorce and death.

Mr. Brooks is aware of how incredible his journey sounds. He had doubts while it was happening and asked the chatbot more than 50 times for a reality check. Each time, ChatGPT reassured him that it was real. Eventually, he broke free of the delusion — but with a deep sense of betrayal, a feeling he tried to explain to the chatbot."

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/08/technology/ai-chatbots-delusions-chatgpt.html

#AI#GenerativeAI#ChatGPT#Delusions#MentalHealth#Hallucinations #Chatbots

"For three weeks in May, the fate of the world rested on the shoulders of a corporate recruiter on the outskirts of Toronto. Allan Brooks, 47, had discovered a novel mathematical formula, one that could take down the internet and power inventions like a force-field vest and a levitation beam.

Or so he believed.

Mr. Brooks, who had no history of mental illness, embraced this fantastical scenario during conversations with ChatGPT that spanned 300 hours over 21 days. He is one of a growing number of people who are having persuasive, delusional conversations with generative A.I. chatbots that have led to institutionalization, divorce and death.

Mr. Brooks is aware of how incredible his journey sounds. He had doubts while it was happening and asked the chatbot more than 50 times for a reality check. Each time, ChatGPT reassured him that it was real. Eventually, he broke free of the delusion — but with a deep sense of betrayal, a feeling he tried to explain to the chatbot."

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/08/technology/ai-chatbots-delusions-chatgpt.html

#AI#GenerativeAI#ChatGPT#Delusions#MentalHealth#Hallucinations #Chatbots

@w7voa "Fake news", indeed!

https://mastodon.social/@wearenew_public/114937253104334125

#AI #hallucinations

…the term hallucinations is subtly misleading. It suggests that the bad behavior is an aberration, a bug, when it’s actually a feature of the probabilistic pattern-matching mechanics of neural networks.
—Karen Hao, Empire of AI: Dreams and Nightmares in Sam Altman's OpenAI
#ai#llms#llm #hallucinations

…the term hallucinations is subtly misleading. It suggests that the bad behavior is an aberration, a bug, when it’s actually a feature of the probabilistic pattern-matching mechanics of neural networks.
—Karen Hao, Empire of AI: Dreams and Nightmares in Sam Altman's OpenAI
#ai#llms#llm #hallucinations

"Springer Nature book on machine learning is full of made-up citations."
https://retractionwatch.com/2025/06/30/springer-nature-book-on-machine-learning-is-full-of-made-up-citations/

PS: Will this kind of slipshod practice decline on its own? Or does it require publicity and public shaming? I don't know. But I'm grateful to @retractionwatch for turning on its spotlight.

#AI#Hallucinations#Proofreading#Publishers#ScholComm #SpringerNature#SubtractedValue

"Springer Nature book on machine learning is full of made-up citations."
https://retractionwatch.com/2025/06/30/springer-nature-book-on-machine-learning-is-full-of-made-up-citations/

PS: Will this kind of slipshod practice decline on its own? Or does it require publicity and public shaming? I don't know. But I'm grateful to @retractionwatch for turning on its spotlight.

#AI#Hallucinations#Proofreading#Publishers#ScholComm #SpringerNature#SubtractedValue

Asked 5 different local AIs (not internet based nor connecting to the internet):

What is the average airspeed of a fully laden swallow?

And they attributed it to 3 novels: Alan Sillitoe's "The Lonely Voice"(which does not exist), Douglas Adams's "A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," George Orwell's "Animal Farm" and also the correct answer, the movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

So as long as we're good with AI being 75% wrong, we're good! 😆

#llm #ai #hallucinations