scholarship
Sycophantic AI decreases prosocial intentions and promotes dependence
Science · published 2026-03-26 · Vol. 391, no. 6792
Open the sourcecheng-2026-sycophantic-ai · last checked 2026-10-18 · voice: research · origin: global north
Independent academic research. The abstract was read in the Crossref record; the publisher page was not reachable. An earlier preprint reports smaller samples; the published figures are used.
Claims that cite this source · 2
Source assertion· confidence medium· passage checked
In preregistered experiments, a single interaction with a sycophantic AI made people less willing to take responsibility or repair a conflict, yet they trusted and preferred the sycophantic model, which gives developers an incentive to keep it.
Used in: Affected people, Sycophancy and engagement-driven agreement
Interpretation· confidence medium· passage checked
When AI assists a decision, a governance question is who keeps the authority to decide, to override the system, and to be accountable for the result. Arrangements that leave that authority unclear can shift judgment to whoever controls the system and risk to those least able to check it.
Used in: Meaningful human oversight, Accountability, Over-reliance and deskilling, Sycophancy and engagement-driven agreement