I’m worried my boyfriend’s use of AI is affecting his ability to think for himself | Annalisa Barbieri

I’m worried my boyfriend’s use of AI is affecting his ability to think for himself Overdependence on chatbots is a growing problem, and though your boyfriend’s ADHD may be a factor, he needs to find the root of his anxiety My boyfriend of eight years , who is 44 , has ADHD and runs his own business. He’s always struggled with admin and mundane tasks, but AI has revolutionised how he works . Now I’m worried he can’t seem to do anything without AI. He is a heavy ChatGPT user and uses it even when there’s a better non-AI alternative (eg he’ll ask it for train times rather than us ing Trainline, even though it’s less accurate). He just got his ChatGPT Wrapped and he’s in the top 0.3% of users worldwide. I worry about his ability to think independently , as well as the environmental impact . I know it’s a useful tool for him at work, but he uses it for everything in life. I’m very aware I can come across as quite naggy, and his ADHD can make him obsessive. I’d love some advice on how to approach this with him . Running a business can be stressful, and although your boyfriend’s ADHD may be a factor, I wonder if he is anxious anyway and if his use of AI is a symptom rather than the cause. I took your letter to consultant clinical psychologist and psychoanalyst Dr Stephen Blumenthal and Henry Shelford, CEO of ADHD UK . Blumenthal wondered if we are “on the verge of a new diagnostic category of ‘chatbot overdependence syndrome’ as we head into an age in which we become increasingly reliant on AI. When used judiciously, AI aids us, but it could have disastrous consequences if we become dependent on it and lose the capacity for ordinary functioning. “Someone with ADHD has a shorter attention span, difficulty focusing and a reduced capacity to plan and think ahead, so AI is a perfect fit, which is why it can be so helpful. The downside is that there is a greater propensity to become overdependent on it.” Shelford wondered if your boyfriend was struggling anyway, and if the AI p...