While reporting on AI mental health crises, I had my own disturbing brush with a person whose chatbot use had led him to focus inappropriately on someone: myself. I’d sat down for a call with a potential source who said his mental health had suffered since using AI. Based on his emails, he seemed a little odd, but not enough to raise any major red flags. Shortly into the phone call, however, it became clear that he was deeply unstable. He told me that he and Microsoft’s Copilot had been “researching” me. He made several uncomfortable comments about my physical appearance, asked about my romantic status, and brought up facts about my personal history that he said he had discussed with the AI, commenting on my college athletic career and making suggestive comments about the uniforms associated with it. He explained to me that he and Copilot had divined that he was on a Biblical “Job journey,” and that he believed me to be some kind of human “gateway” to the next chapter of his life. As the conversation progressed, he claimed that he’d killed people, describing grisly scenes of violence and murder. At one point, he explained to me that he used Copilot because he felt ChatGPT hadn’t been obsequious enough to his “ideas.” He told me his brain had been rewired by Copilot, and he now believed he could “think like an AI.” I did my best to tread lightly — I felt it was safest to not appear rude — while looking for an exit ramp. Finally, I caught a lucky break: his phone was dying. I thanked him for his time and told him to take care. “I love you, baby,” he said back, before I could hit the end call button.

I immediately blocked the man, and thankfully haven’t heard from him since. But the conversation left me disquieted. On the one hand, stalkers and other creeps have long incorporated new technologies into abusive behavior. Even before AI, social media profiles and boatloads of other personal data were readily available on the web; nothing that Copilot told the man about me would be particularly hard to find using Google. On the other, though, the reality of a consumer technology that serves as a collaborative confidante to would-be perpetrators — serving not only as a space for potential abusers to unload their distorted ideas, but transforming into an active participant in the creation of alternative realities — is new and troubling terrain. It had given a prospective predator something dangerous: an ally. “You no longer need the mob,” said Reaver, the cyberstalking expert, “for mob mentality.”

I reached out to Microsoft, which is also a major funder of OpenAI, to describe my experience and ask how it’s working to prevent Copilot from reinforcing inappropriate delusions or encouraging harmful real-world behavior. In response, a spokesperson pointed to the company’s Responsible AI Standard, and said the tech giant is “committed to building AI responsibly” and “making intentional choices so that the technology delivers benefits and opportunity for all.” “Our AI systems are developed in line with our principles of fairness, reliability and safety, privacy and security, and inclusiveness,” the spokesperson continued. “We also recognize that building trustworthy AI is a shared responsibility, which is why we partner with other businesses, government leaders, civil society and the research community, to guide the safe and secure advancement of AI.” I never saw the man’s chat logs. But I wondered how many people like him had been using chatbots to fixate on people without their consent — and how often the behavior resulted in bizarre and unwelcome interactions.

This story is also personal for me -- I had my own run-in with an unstable man who seemed to be fixating on me via Microsoft Copilot.

In addition to other delusional, violent, and uncomfortable statements, the man told me he and Copilot had surmised that I was a "gateway" on his "Job journey":

Still working my way through the files. Currently on dataset 6 or 7. Lots of interesting stuff to learn. You get a better sense of the scope of the harm they committed around the world.

Out of the options presented, I’m gonna say it’s a weed shop. All the mystical symbols and calling it a “lab” seems like something an owner of a weed shop would do. The random atomic symbol is a little odd. lol.

Secretary of Defense? What does that position have to do with what I said? The DOJ is Department of Justice, not Department of Defense (DOD). The head of the DOJ is the Attorney General, not a Secretary.

Dunning-Kruger effect on display here.

Presidents don’t typically “control” the FBI. The Department of Justice oversees them and it’s understood that the DOJ acts independent of the President. That’s obviously changed with the Trump administration.

Bet that’s the same face he makes trying to squeeze one out while on the toilet…or in a Cabinet meeting.

REPUBLICAN REP. MASSIE: “This is the Epstein administration.”

Democrats should rally behind Terry Virts in the 9th Congressional District Democrats should rally behind astronaut Terry Virts in the 9th Congressional District, writes the editorial board.

Honored to be endorsed by the @HoustonChron for Congressional District 9 in Texas- I will fight to level the playing field for the working people in our district!

CD9 is ground zero in the gerrymandering wars so let’s WIN this seat together!

www.houstonchronicle.com/opinion/endo...

Ofelia Torres, the teenage Chicago Public Schools student whose fight against cancer while her father was detained by ICE came to represent the federal government's overreach during Operation Midway Blitz, has died. Brave young woman. I will never forget her. RIP.

Our story @chicagotribune.com: Chicago teen Ofelia Torres, whose father was detained by ICE while she fought cancer, dies. www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/14/c...

Sign made of plywood propped up in a telephone pole by the street. It has ‘We won’t forget what you did. Abolish ICE.’

As Melissa points out in the replies, this guy, who also proposes putting women in "breeding gulags" to be repeatedly raped and forced to give birth, had dinner with the president of the United States.

If the evidence warrants it, officials should be fired.

If the evidence supports it, indictments should follow.

The DOJ should unredact and release all 6 million of the Epstein documents and investigate everyone implicated.

Transparency is the only way this ends.

Host: So when Donald Trump walked in, there were women in there who weren't fully clothed.

Hughes: Correct. Women were not fully clothed when Donald Trump came in.

Host: And some of those women were, what, as young as 15?

Hughes: Yeah, as 15 years old.

What other industry or line of work would we accept someone for a job that had no experience or qualifications? Congresspeople, senators, cabinet members, secretaries, the president. They should all have some experience.

It would seem that the immigration officer made false statements to the FBI. Wonder what sort of penalties come with an action like that. Hmm.

ICE says federal agents appear to have lied about confrontation that led to shooting Officers claimed they were attacked, prompting one to open fire.

You can’t see it, but this is my surprised face.
www.politico.com/news/2026/02...

ICE says 2 officers may have lied under oath about shooting migrant in Minnesota — ABC News The officers were placed on administrative leave, ICE's acting director said.

Wait..what’s this? ICE agents “may” have lied?!? You mean hiring criminals to enforce laws doesn’t work?!?

I am shocked. Utterly shocked they lied. Incompetent criminals never lie🙄

The brain isn’t transactional, it predicts behavior based on past experience. Lying abt murder isn’t all they lie abt

I worked several years in a call center for the Department of Veterans Affairs. There’s no way we could say something like this to a caller in crisis and still have a job or at the very least be written up. Insane.
I wonder if they’re using AI to generate scripts or training materials. 🤔

‘Suicide is only one option:’ Social Security staff newly assigned to phone duties raise concerns over training Experts and SSA employees question wisdom of telling callers in crisis that suicide is an option.

This is outrageous.

Americans often call Social Security at the most stressful times of their lives, such as when they've lost a loved one or become disabled.

They need fully trained experts (like the thousands DOGE forced out) on the other end of the line.

Setting aside the fact that they lightened both Mamdani & Crockett, why the hell did they put Nazi Tattoo guy front & center given that he’s the only one of the three who’s never won an election for anything?

I’m also thinking about the time Bill Clinton was impeached for - no, really, you won’t possibly believe what Bill Clinton was impeached for given <gestures at everything happening fifty times a day now>

This is the kind of toxic garbage being pumped into the minds of young men. Fuentes is angry at the world because women have rejected him and he wants to enlist other men to help him carry out his revenge against women.

You don’t need to be a former FBI Special Agent to imagine the impacts of accountability surrounding Epstein.
I don’t care what the ramifications are. People at ALL levels need to be held accountable for any crimes that have been committed.

a man stands in front of a crowd with the words are you not entertained ALT: a man stands in front of a crowd with the words are you not entertained

Lots of moments throughout Gladiator.

This is the second account - the first being in Chicago - of DHS agents mass detaining people and then *sorting them by race*.

Throwback to Pam Bondi’s campaign ad for Florida AG:

“I’ll fight to put human trafficking monsters where they belong. Behind bars.”

The ad aged. The internet remembers.

CNN: "Another photograph - these are notes AG Bondi brought to the hearing today. This shows a list of Rep. Jayapal's search history. Lawmakers are allowed to go to a DOJ facility to search unredacted files. We learned from this photo that the searches are apparently being tracked & read by the DOJ"

All she’s doing is performing to an audience of 1. That’s Trump.
I’d love nothing more than to see her removed from her position and held accountable.

This is utterly deranged behavior from a U.S. attorney general