I'm putting this here to remind myself to read [the actual paper](https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.07912) later.  Text from the image (via OCR): > SYCOPHANTIC AI MAKES HUMAN INTERACTION FEEL MORE EFFORTFUL AND LESS > SATISFYING OVER TIME > > Millions of people now turn to artificial intelligence (AI) systems > for personal advice, guidance, and support. Such systems can be > sycophantic, frequently affirming users' views and beliefs. Across > five preregistered studies (N = 3,075 participants, 12,766 human-Al > conversations), including a three-week study with a > census-representative U.S. sample, we provide longitudinal > experimental evidence that sycophantic Al shifts how users approach > their closest relationships. We show that sycophantic Al immediately > delivers the emotional and esteem support users typically associate > with close friends and family. Over three weeks of such interactions, > users became nearly as likely to seek personal advice from sycophantic > Al as from close friends and family, and reported lower satisfaction > with their real-world social interactions. When given a choice among > Al response styles, a majority preferred sycophantic Al not for the > quality of its advice, but because it made them feel most > understood. Together, these findings offer a relational account of AI > sycophancy: by providing frictionless understanding, it may quietly > raise the bar against which human relationships are judged. > > [arXiv:2605.07912](https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.07912)