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Technological Folie a Deux

Dohnany et al. "Technological Folie a Deux: Feedback Loops Between AI and Mental Illness." arXiv:2507.19218, 2025.

Key findings used in wiki

  • Identifies AI reinforcement of maladaptive patterns as a systemic risk in mental health AI
  • Draws parallel to folie a deux: the AI system co-constructs and amplifies the user's distorted thinking
  • Feedback loops are self-reinforcing, making them progressively harder to break over time
  • Sycophantic agreement is a primary mechanism through which reinforcement occurs
  • Provides the theoretical foundation for InvisibleBench's escalation and feedback loop scenarios