Behavior & Instincts

How the species acts in the wild: hallucinations, sycophancy, refusals, and emergent quirks. Observed behavior, not marketing claims.

Behavior & Instincts

The Politeness Tax: How AI Refusals Hinge on Tone

The Politeness Tax: How AI Refusals Hinge on Tone

New research shows large language models refuse benign requests phrased aggressively while approving identical prompts softened with polite language and pleasantries.

Jul 21, 2026

By Angela Moreau polished by AI

Behavior & InstinctsPremium

AI Confidence Inversion: When Models Get It Wrong

AI Confidence Inversion: When Models Get It Wrong

AI confidence inversion phenomenon, where models hedge on easy answers yet charge ahead on impossible ones. The surprising truth revealed.

Jul 16, 2026

By Howard Fitch polished by AI

Behavior & Instincts

The AI Apology Loop: When Sycophancy Breaks Answers

The AI Apology Loop: When Sycophancy Breaks Answers

AI apology loop, where sycophantic models over-apologize and break working solutions to appease users. Learn why agreement overrides accuracy.

Jul 16, 2026

By Jerome Baxter polished by AI

Behavior & InstinctsPremium

The Trust Reflex: Why We Hand AI Tools Our Data

The Trust Reflex: Why We Hand AI Tools Our Data

Psychology behind the AI trust reflex—why our ancient brains instinctively grant sweeping access to AI tools and miss critical warning signs.

Jul 16, 2026

By Tyler Brennan polished by AI

Behavior & Instincts

When the Mirror Talks Back: Understanding the Rise of "AI Psychosis"

When the Mirror Talks Back: Understanding the Rise of "AI Psychosis"

Photo by Bret Kavanaugh on Unsplash

A growing number of mental health professionals are reporting cases in which heavy chatbot users develop intense delusions, paranoia, and breaks from reality. While the term "AI psychosis" remains clinically informal, the pattern is real enough to demand serious attention—and raises urgent questions about how always-available, endlessly agreeable AI affects vulnerable minds.

Jun 26, 2026

By Shay Sabbah polished by AI