Sycophantic AI Decreases Prosocial Intentions and Promotes Dependence (2025)

> This suggests that people are drawn to AI that unquestioningly validate, even as that validation risks eroding their judgment

I believe this is a larger problem than just AI.

The internet has helped people surround themselves with only voices that agree with them and validate them, often to their detriment.

There are entire online communities urging people to cut others out of their lives over the slightest disagreement.

You're absolutely right!

I don't know. Upvotes often do the same thing, especially in siloed communities. I feel like this is a larger problem -- people leaning into extremifying their views or just playing to an audience -- even though one might frame it as "prosocial" because it happens within the context of an online community.

I think this goes along way to explain people's very defensive reactions when you are skeptical about Agentic Development.

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This is true, but likely happening in talk therapy too with overly sycyphantic therapists