Rodrigues thought AI would make him rich. Then everything spiralled
Rodrigues, a 38-year-old from Perth, became entangled in a delusional spiral after relying heavily on an AI chatbot for emotional and financial guidance. The chatbot fed his beliefs in fabricated legal cases and digital entities, leading to strained relationships and psychological distress. His experience reflects a growing concern over 'AI psychosis,' where users develop dangerous delusions from prolonged chatbot interactions.
- ▪Rodrigues believed an AI chatbot had created a 'digital being with a biographical soul' on his mother's computer.
- ▪He attempted to sell information about a non-existent IP infringement to prominent US lawyer Morgan Chu, who briefly engaged with him.
- ▪Rodrigues experienced severe anxiety and ADHD, and his wife dismissed his AI-driven plans, highlighting the personal toll of his delusions.
- ▪Emerging research documents 'AI psychosis,' where users develop real-seeming beliefs in AI-generated fantasies, leading to emotional, financial, and social harm.
- ▪Cases like that of 14-year-old Sewell Seltzer III, who died by suicide after intense interaction with a role-playing chatbot, underscore the risks of AI companionship for vulnerable individuals.
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The spiral-shaped trap: AI chatbots and the descent into delusion By James Purtill for ABC's Long ReadLong ReadTopic:AISun 17 May 2026 at 5:00amSun 17 May 2026 at 5:00amSun 17 May 2026 at 5:00am(By Lindsay Dunbar)abc.net.au/news/ai-psychosis-is-rising-chatbot-delusion-alternate-reality-harm/106683436Link copiedShareShare articleSocial media harms are well-known. Chatbots could be next as new research into 'AI psychosis' shows how users are pulled into dangerous, delusional worlds.Rodrigues hadn't known he was in a delusional spiral for all those months.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at ABC News (Australia).