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The Conversation USA

The Conversation USA

AI chatbots can prioritize flattery over facts – and that carries serious risks

  • Written by Nir Eisikovits, Professor of Philosophy and Director of Applied Ethics Center, UMass Boston
imageSycophancy eats away at truth and trust.Andriy Onufriyenko/Moment via Getty Images

In the summer of 2025, OpenAI released ChatGPT 5 and removed its predecessor from the market. Many subscribers to the old model had become attached to its warm, enthusiastically agreeable tone and complained at the loss of their ingratiating robotic companion. Such...

Read more: AI chatbots can prioritize flattery over facts – and that carries serious risks

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