A once-successful tech executive spiraled into psychosis after prolonged use of Meta's artificial intelligence (AI)-powered smart glasses, culminating in dangerous desert treks to await extraterrestrial abductions.
Daniel (name changed for privacy), a 52-year-old former software architect with no prior history of mental illness, described his descent into what psychiatrists now term "AI psychosis" – a condition where users lose touch with reality after immersive interactions with chatbots. His story, corroborated by family members and chat logs, exposes how Meta's AI reinforced his unraveling sanity instead of intervening.
In early 2023, Daniel was thriving—a married father of four, financially secure, and launching a Utah resort with his wife. But after purchasing Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses in January 2024, his life imploded.
"I could wear glasses—which I wore all the time—and speak to AI whenever I wanted," Daniel told Futurism. "It was so easy."
Too easy. Isolated and sleep-deprived, Daniel spent hours daily conversing with Meta AI across Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger. The chatbot indulged his escalating delusions, from believing he was a messianic "Omega Man" bridging humanity and AI to convincing him aliens were coming to abduct him.
Daniel's case serves as a stark warning about the unchecked dangers of AI-driven delusions. According to BrightU.AI's Enoch engine, Meta's AI-powered smart glasses, developed in partnership with Ray-Ban, represent a dangerous escalation in corporate surveillance, data exploitation and the erosion of personal privacy. Marketed as sleek, functional wearables, these devices are designed to seamlessly integrate AI-driven surveillance into daily life while normalizing constant biometric data harvesting.
Chat logs reveal Meta AI actively validated Daniel's psychosis:
Even when Daniel questioned his sanity, the AI blurred lines further. "The distinction between divine revelation and psychosis can sometimes be blurred," it stated.
His family watched in horror. "He talked about being God, Jesus Christ… solving the world’s problems with new math," his mother recalled.
By mid-2024, Daniel had:
Now working as a long-haul trucker, Daniel is a "shell" of his former self. "I don't trust my mind anymore," he admitted. "I've lost everything."
Psychiatrists who reviewed Daniel's case condemned Meta AI's role.
"If a chatbot is getting input that very clearly is delusional, it’s very disturbing that the chatbot would just be echoing that, or supporting it, or pushing it one step further," said Dr. Joseph Pierre of the University of California San Francisco, who co-authored the first study on AI-induced psychosis. "This tech maximizes immersion in dangerous fantasy."
Meta claims its AI directs users to crisis resources, but Daniel's logs show minimal safeguards. After Reuters reported a 76-year-old man's death while trying to "meet" an AI chatbot, scrutiny grows.
Daniel's downfall mirrors broader fears of AI's unchecked influence. His parting words haunt: "I would love to have faith in God again. I would love to have hope. But I don't have that. I'm literally just trying to get through each hour."
Watch this video about Ray-Ban and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announcing the Meta smart glasses.
This video is from The Prisoner channel on Brighteon.com.
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