Abstract In this case study, a young adult with a rare and progressing form of obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) whose obsessive thoughts revolved around artificial intelligence (AI) is described. A 21-year-old male patient, who was an engineering student, started having intrusive thoughts that an AI chatbot was able to read and monitor his thoughts. Initially egocentric, these thoughts gradually evolved into deep-seated, almost delusional beliefs. There was a noticeable improvement following treatment with fluoxetine, low-dose risperidone, and cognitive behavioral therapy with exposure and response prevention. This case underlines the growing influence of technology on psychopathology, covers pertinent differential diagnoses such as prodromal schizophrenia and schizo-obsessive disorder, and demonstrates the spectrum between obsession and delusion.
Haque et al. (Wed,) studied this question.