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

Everyone likes being told they’re clever, even if it’s coming from an AI chatbot. But their sycophancy has serious consequences for truth and trust.

By: Nir Eisikovits, UMass Boston and Cody Turner, Bentley University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: May 1, 2026

Words: 1,385

Last Updated: 2 months, 4 weeks ago

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By Nir Eisikovits, UMass Boston and Cody Turner, Bentley University

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 was the scale of frustration that Sam Altman, OpenAI’s CEO, had to acknowledge that the rollout was botched, and the company reinstated access.

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