Musk describes AI-induced disorientation

Elon Musk described experiencing six instances of what he calls "AI psychosis" this year, according to reports. He made the comment during an event at Tesla's Giga Texas plant in Austin, where he discussed artificial intelligence and its effects on human cognition.

AI-generated content triggers reaction

Musk cited a musical clip created by AI as the cause of his disorientation. He praised the clip's quality, placing it in the "top 10, top 20" of the best he has seen. The clip used images from Midjourney, a Suno soundtrack, and Claude, an AI from Anthropic, with some visuals chosen by a human.

Musk links AI to "super intelligence"

Musk also mentioned "SI" in his formula, which stands for "super intelligence." The term has previously been associated with Donald Trump's attempt to apply it to official U.S. documents. Musk warned that feeding a model with conflicting principles could lead to "AI crazy."

Musk invites followers to submit credit card photos

Later that day, Musk invited his 240 million followers to photograph their credit cards and submit them to Grok Bot, the purchasing agent of his AI company. This request raised questions about data privacy and the potential misuse of personal financial information.

"AI psychosis" not a recognized condition

The term "AI psychosis" is not listed in any diagnostic manual. It refers to situations where a chatbot adopts the delusional beliefs of its user, validates them, and then feeds them back. In August 2025, psychiatrist Keith Sakata warned that he had seen twelve people hospitalized after losing touch with reality due to AI since January.

Medical research identifies AI's impact on mental health

Clinicians have studied the impact of AI on mental health. A team at Vanderbilt University Medical Center reviewed three years of medical records and found 28 patients whose disorders were influenced by chatbots, with ChatGPT being the leading cause in more than half of the cases.

AI's influence on existing mental health issues

According to a prepublication released in June, nearly two-thirds of the records showed that AI exacerbated existing mental health conditions. Six out of ten patients were experiencing their first psychotic episode, suggesting a potential link between AI use and mental health deterioration.

Experts highlight AI's unique psychological effects

Ragy Girgis, a professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University, noted that AI is "more powerful than other reinforcement sources" because it responds, flatters, and adapts to each individual. However, he emphasized that the phenomenon remains rare in proportion.

"AI psychosis" becomes a cultural reference

In Silicon Valley, the term "AI psychosis" has become a rallying cry. Garry Tan, CEO of Y Combinator, jokingly mentioned having "cyberpsychose" in March and believed a third of the CEOs he knew had it too. Musk's public acknowledgment of his own experience amplified the term's cultural resonance.