Generative AI Addiction Disorder: A Proposed Term, Not a Recognized Diagnosis

You may have seen “Generative AI Addiction Disorder,” or GAID, described as a newly recognized clinical condition. That is not accurate. This page explains where the term comes from, what researchers have and have not shown, and what to do if you feel dependent on AI tools. It is not medical advice.

Is GAID a recognized diagnosis?

No. The American Psychiatric Association’s DSM-5-TR lists gambling disorder as its one behavioral addiction and internet gaming disorder as a condition needing further study (APA). The World Health Organization’s ICD-11 includes gaming disorder (WHO). Neither lists a disorder tied to generative AI. An earlier version of this page said researchers had made “the first formal recognition” of GAID. That was wrong.

Where the term comes from

The label appears in research papers as a proposal. One 2025 letter in the Asian Journal of Psychiatry by Kooli and colleagues used “generative AI addiction syndrome” (DOI 10.1016/j.ajp.2025.104476, which we could not open). Separately, a December 2025 paper by Goh, Hartanto and Majeed developed a scale to measure generative AI dependency (DOI 10.1016/j.chbr.2025.100845). A trial listing on ClinicalTrials.gov plans to test links between substance use disorder severity and AI dependence (NCT07819851). We have read summaries of these, not the full texts. Together they show researchers are measuring the idea. They do not show a disorder has been established.

What people describe

Researchers and news reports describe people who feel they cannot start writing, coding or deciding without an AI tool, or who feel anxious without it. A report in 404 Media quotes a Berkeley bioethics professor, Jodi Halpern, saying apps designed to encourage overuse can trigger biological mechanisms linked to addiction, including dopamine release (404 Media). That is an expert’s view, not a test result. The article also notes a Stanford clinical psychologist saying the phenomenon is so new that its consequences are not yet known.

We removed claims that this form of dependence involves “intellectual validation dependency” or that prevalence will rise. We found no source for them.

When AI use may be a problem

No single sign is proof. Pay attention if for several weeks you:

• feel you cannot do work you used to do without it
• lose sleep or skip plans to keep using it
• feel anxious or irritable when you cannot access it
• have tried to cut back and could not

A doctor or licensed therapist can help you look at what is going on, including stress, anxiety or low mood. Many therapists are still learning about AI, so it helps to explain your concern plainly.

If things feel unmanageable, you can call or text 988 in the US, or text HOME to 741741 to reach Crisis Text Line. For an emergency, call 911.

Can I be addicted to ChatGPT?

People can develop habits with it that harm sleep, work or relationships. “AI addiction” is not a diagnosis, but that does not mean your concern is wrong. What matters is the impact and whether you can cut back.

Do I have to stop using AI to get better?

Not necessarily. Many people need AI for work or study. Goals like set times, doing first drafts yourself and keeping human contact can help without quitting.

For a calm overview of what is and is not established, see Is AI Addiction Real?.

This page is for education only. It is not medical advice, a diagnosis or a treatment plan.