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Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Man, 60, poisoned himself after taking medical advice from ChatGPT
A man was left fighting for his sanity after replacing table salt with a chemical more commonly used to clean swimming pools after following AI advice. The 60-year-old American spent three weeks in hospital suffering from hallucinations, paranoia and severe anxiety after taking dietary tips from ChatGPT. Doctors revealed in a US medical journal that the man had developed bromism - a condition virtually wiped out since the 20th century - after he embarked on a 'personal experiment' to cut salt from his diet. Instead of using everyday sodium chloride, the man swapped it for sodium bromide, a toxic compound once sold in sedative pills but now mostly found in pool-cleaning products. Symptoms of bromism include psychosis, delusions, skin eruptions and nausea - and in the 19th century it was linked to up to eight per cent of psychiatric hospital admissions. The bizarre case took a disturbing turn when the man turned up at an emergency department insisting his neighbour was trying to poison him. He had no previous history of mental illness. Intrigued and alarmed, doctors tested ChatGPT themselves. The bot, they said, still recommended sodium bromide as a salt alternative, with no mention of any health risk. The case, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, warns that the rise of AI tools could contribute to 'preventable adverse health outcomes' in a chilling reminder of how machine-generated 'advice' can go horrible wrong. AI chatbots have been caught out before. Last year, a Google bot told users they could stay healthy by 'eating rocks' – advice seemingly scraped from satirical websites. OpenAI, the Silicon Valley giant behind ChatGPT, last week announced that its new GPT-5 update is better at answering health questions. A spokesman told The Telegraph: 'You should not rely on output from our services as a sole source of truth or factual information, or as a substitute for professional advice.' Daily Mail have approached OpenAI for comment. It comes after clinical psychologist Paul Losoff told the that dependency on AI robots is becoming a huge risk, and warned against getting too close to ChatGPT. 'One might come to depend and rely on AI so [much] that they don't seek out human interactions,' he said. He explained that this could be especially detrimental for those who may already be struggling with anxiety or depression. Dr. Losoff explained that by using AI, these people may worsen their conditions and experience cognitive symptoms like chronic pessimism, distorted thinking, or cloudy thinking. And that in itself could create further issues. 'Because of these cognitive symptoms, there is a risk that an individual turning to AI may misinterpret AI feedback leading to harm,' he said. And when it comes to people who may be in crisis, this may only exacerbate issues. Dr. Losoff said that there is always a risk that AI will make mistakes and provide harmful feedback during crucial mental health moments. 'There also is a profound risk for those with acute thought disorders such as schizophrenia in which they would be prone to misinterpreting AI feedback,' he said.
Yahoo
09-08-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
I Asked Grok How To Become Wealthy in the Next 5 Years — Here's What It Said
As generative artificial intelligence (AI) advances in its capabilities, people are using tools like ChatGPT and Grok, the AI embedded in the social media platform X, for general brainstorming. These AI tools have become (maybe-not-so) trusted advisors that can spark ideas or help people sort out their thoughts. You have to fact-check every bit of solid information, since GenAI isn't known for its accuracy. But it's pretty good at sharing general thoughts with a unique perspective, borne of all the human knowledge that forms the base of its programming. Read More: Find Out: Without offering any details, such as our income level, age, or region, apart from narrowing our location down to 'the U.S.,' we asked Grok: 'How can someone in the U.S. become wealthy in the next five years?' Its answer was insightful and practical, if not excessively original. Grok largely replicated tried-and-true tips that personal finance writers have been sharing for years. Here's what Grok said about how to become wealthy in the next five years. What Is Wealth? First, Grok clarified that wealth means 'a significant net worth, not just a high income.' Acknowledging it's a 'tough goal,' it said it's possible with focus, discipline, and a bit of luck. It also assumed the person asking started with some resources: 'education, skills, or a modest income.' That's an important distinction that only hints at the challenges of systemic poverty. If you're stuck in the middle class or you're a 'high earner, not rich yet,' these tips might help you create greater financial security — but they probably won't put you in the top 1% within five years. Discover Next: Leverage Your High-Income Skills or Explore Entrepreneurship First, Grok suggested learning a high-demand skill. 'Fields like AI, software development, data science, or cybersecurity are booming. For example, AI engineers can earn $150k-$300k+ annually,' it said. If you have the freedom and capital to do so, start a business. 'Identify a niche with low competition but high demand — think specialized e-commerce, SaaS (software-as-a-service), or consulting. For instance, a SaaS business targeting small businesses can scale fast with minimal overhead,' it said. If you already have a full-time job and can't leave, consider a side hustle in your field or doing something that leverages your natural skills and talents. The key here, said Grok, is 'Reinvest profits into your business or investments.' For those who have a skill that translates well to a side hustle, the drive for entrepreneurship, or the opportunity to reinvent themselves in a lucrative career, these tips could put you on a five-year path to wealth. GOBankingRates recently suggested similar tactics to build financial stability. Invest Aggressively and Smartly Grok recommended investing in three buckets: the stock market, real estate, and crypto or other alternative assets. 'If you start with $50k and invest $30k a year at 10%, you could hit ~$250k in five years,' it said. Our thoughts: As Grok pointed out, you need $30,000 (at least) to invest to yield even modest returns in the short term. This isn't making anyone wealthy, but it's solid financial advice for long-term financial security. To its credit, Grok warned of the volatility of alternative assets, noting that some investors allocate 5% to 10% of their portfolio to bitcoin, ethereum, or even collectibles. Leverage Your Network Grok emphasized the value of having access to a network of mentors or high-net-worth individuals. Assuming you are in a field with high income potential, it recommended attending conferences, join online communities, or work for a startup. 'Relationships can unlock deals, partnerships, or funding,' it said. It also suggested moving to a high-opportunity area like Austin or Miami, where tech and finance are thriving. 'Proximity to wealth breeds opportunity,' it said. Our thoughts: If you're an entrepreneur, investor, or tech or finance professional, this is solid (if not earth-shattering) advice. It seems as if Grok may have been drawing from Napoleon Hill, who wrote about the concept of a Mastermind group in Think and Grow Rich: 'Every mind needs friendly contact with other minds, for food of expansion and growth,' Hill wrote in his famous tome on wealth-building. Fortunately, social platforms make it easier for people in any region to connect with others. But if you have opportunities to attend in-person conferences, networking events, or meet-ups in your field of expertise, try to get out there. Avoid Debt Traps Grok advised us to avoid credit cards or 'bad' loans, assuming payday loans and the like. 'Pay off high-interest debt first to free up cash for investing,' it said. Our thoughts: This is personal finance 101, echoed by experts like Dave Ramsey and Mark Cuban. Avoid Lifestyle Inflation Once you've paid off debt and taken steps to increase your salary, you might be tempted to spend more as your disposable income increases. Avoid this trap. Grok advised, 'Live on 50% of your income, invest the rest. If you earn $80k a year, saving $40k a year compounds fast.' Our thoughts: While Grok's advice is sound, his example raises eyebrows. According to GOBankingRates research, there is no specific state in the U.S. where you can live comfortably on $40,000. You may find you can get by on that amount in a few rural areas if you live frugally, but then you'd be moving further away from epicenters of wealth and opportunity, like the aforementioned Austin and Miami. Be Patient Acknowledging that 'wealth varies by context,' Grok said that you may be able to achieve a net worth of roughly $500,000 in five years with discipline. 'Ten million in five years often requires extraordinary luck or a big exit — selling a business,' it said. Even reaching $1 million in five years would be difficult through traditional, conservative investing. 'You'd need a business sale, stock windfall, or real estate leverage,' it said. 'Most self-made millionaires build wealth through consistent saving and investing over decades.' Our thoughts: While it may not be what most people want to hear, there is no 'get-rich-quick' template to follow, and most activities that could create a rapid path to wealth come with substantial risk. More From GOBankingRates New Law Could Make Electricity Bills Skyrocket in These 4 States I'm an Economist: Here's When Tariff Price Hikes Will Start Hitting Your Wallet 5 Strategies High-Net-Worth Families Use To Build Generational Wealth How Much Money Is Needed To Be Considered Middle Class in Your State? This article originally appeared on I Asked Grok How To Become Wealthy in the Next 5 Years — Here's What It Said Sign in to access your portfolio
Globe and Mail
06-08-2025
- Globe and Mail
Stressed-out parents are turning to ChatGPT for help
Parents seem to be turning to ChatGPT for advice more and more – but what do robots have to offer when it comes to such a core human relationship? What guardrails are necessary when trusting artificial intelligence with shaping the development of our children? Contributing columnist Amberly McAteer weighs in after ChatGPT's advice actually got one of her daughters to stop stealing from the other. Questions? Comments? Ideas? E-mail us at thedecibel@
