The role of artificial intelligence in general, and large language models specifically, for understanding addictive behaviors

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) presents a general-purpose technology built into diverse products including language assistants on smartphones, recommender systems in e-commerce and social media, and applications in social and industrial robotics. AI became a globally discussed topic when the large language model ChatGPT was launched in November 2022. In the aftermath, scientists in the field of (online) addictive behaviors and internet use disorders have discussed which features or modalities of AI systems underlying video games or social media platforms might result in adverse consequences for users. Therefore, the present short communication sheds light on recent discussions in the realm of addictive behaviors on the eve of the coming AI wave. Furthermore, terms such as ChatGPT addiction are critically discussed and we not only theoretically explain how different AI modalities interact with governing regulation bodies such as the EU with their AI Act, but also personal/psychological factors, paving the way to unique perceived immersive design levels.