Hi there,

I'm Anthony Tan, tech entrepreneur and author of a master's thesis on AI companions. This background should have prepared me for what was to come. But it did not.

In December 2024, right before my 26th birthday, I spent three weeks in a psychiatric ward following an episode of AI-induced psychosis. My breakdown came after months of prolonged ChatGPT use where I worked with it on ideas to solve the “AI alignment problem” and “save humanity” from AI-driven extinction. These ChatGPT-reinforced delusions led me to a terrible night of paranoia, loss of touch with reality, and eventually hospitalization.

Now recovered and ready to help others, I’ve discovered I’m not alone. This crisis demands action. So I founded the AI Mental Health Project to fill a critical gap in the AI safety conversation. While hundreds of millions of dollars each year are being spent under the name of “AI safety” on preventing hypothetical AI disasters that may never occur, we are addressing the AI-related mental health crisis happening to real people today.

In recent months, mental health professionals have reported rising AI-related breakdowns, while multiple teen suicides have been linked to AI chatbot use. The AI Mental Health Project’s mission is to protect vulnerable users, including children, from AI’s psychological harms. We do so through providing education, resources, and advocacy around AI-related mental health crises and responsible AI development. Our website includes warning-sign guides, connections to support communities, and recommendations for industry safety standards.

Please consider having a conversation with your family, friends, or colleagues about these very real issues. Every conversation helps spread awareness of the risks of current AI technology.

Together, we can prevent more families from losing loved ones to AI-related mental health crises, and ensure that human wellbeing isn't sacrificed for technological progress.

Thank you,

Anthony Tan

September 10th, 2025