Why we’re falling out of love with our AI confidants
Chatbots make us feel uniquely seen and heard, but then the ‘empathy gap’ kicks in and the relationship turns sour
by Joe Mullich
Technology and media
Articles, Films and practical Guides on technology and media, part of Psyche’s coverage of relationships, work and leisure.
How to know if your meditation is working
Traditional and tech-based methods can reveal what your practice is doing – and give you the confidence to stick with it
by Matt Fuchs
Curious about a digital ‘detox’? Here’s what you should know
For many who are chronically connected, a break from tech sounds appealing. Research is uncovering when and how it helps
by Kostadin Kushlev
My chatbot therapist
Constant access, near-perfect memory, analytic reach – ChatGPT provides things a therapist never could
by Sabela Guravich
The kids forgotten by calls to ban phones
Campaigns calling for smartphone-free childhoods might be well meaning, but the choice is not so simple for all families
by Alice Gregory
How to use AI chatbots to make you smarter, not dumber
Use AI thoughtlessly and it dulls your mind. But with a strategic approach and the right prompts, it can be a powerful tool
by Nick Kabrel
Why AI’s hallucinations are like the illusions of narcissism
Unable to handle uncertainty, AI mimics the narcissistic compulsion to fill voids with plausible but false narratives
by Jennine Gates
For young people, AI is now a second brain – should we worry?
As a resident tutor, I’ve seen how students are using AI as more than a tool. It’s a psychological shift we’ll soon all make
by Rhea Tibrewala
A brief escape from social media
After leaving my phone behind for a week and coming back to it, I saw my social media use in a stark new light
by Tamur Qutab
Our world’s complex issues can’t be solved by lone heroes. Our stories should reflect that
Video by Psyche
Social comparison is driving us to despair. It doesn’t have to
In the social media age, it seems impossible not to measure ourselves against others – but we can dodge the worst pitfalls
by Wojciech Kaftański
What makes a map ‘good’? On the ethics of cartography
Rendering the world in a responsible way means wrestling with what gets depicted on a map, how, and for whom
by Nat Case
The reason that even hands-free calls are risky for drivers
Cars are filled with ever more communication and entertainment tech, but our minds are stuck with the same limitations
by Robert Rosenberger
Why deepfakes pose less of a threat than many predict
Applying Descartes’ sceptical puzzle to deepfake videos reveals the challenge they present is one that we can rise to
by Keith Raymond Harris
Why teenagers are deliberately seeking brain rot on TikTok
Talking to teens reveals a hidden sophistication to their media use. Rather than policing it, maybe we could learn from it
by Emilie Owens