WIRED Roundup: AI Psychosis, Missing FTC Files, and Google Bedbugs
Louise Matsakis: Oh God, you wouldn't see me in the office for weeks if there was a bed bug infestation. How did they come to know this?
Zoë Schiffer: So basically they got this email on Sunday saying that exterminators arrived on the scene with sniffer dogs and “found reliable evidence of their presence.” There are the bed bugs. Sources tell WIRED that Google's New York offices are home to a number of large stuffed animals, and there was certainly a rumor circulating among employees that these stuffed animals were involved in the outbreak. We could not verify this information before publishing, but in any case, the company already told employees on Monday morning that they could return to the office. And people like you, Louise, really weren't happy about this. They were like, “I'm not sure it's totally clean in here.” That's why they sat in our mailbox to chat.
Louise Matsakis: Can I just say that if you have photos or a description of said large stuffed animals, please contact me and Zoë. Thank you.
Zoë Schiffer: Yes. This is a cry for help. I thought the best part of this is when I gave Louise my design, she was like, “Wait, this has happened before.” And pulled up an article from 2010 about a bed bug outbreak at the Google offices in New York.
Louise Matsakis: Yes. This is not the first time, that is heartbreaking.
Zoë Schiffer: After the break, we get to the reason why some people in their minds have filed complaints with the FTC about ChatGPT, leading them to AI psychosis. Stay with us.
Welcome back to Uncanny Valley. I am Zoë Schiffer. I'm joined today by WIRED's Louise Matsakis. Let's dive into our main story this week. The Federal Trade Commission has received 200 complaints mentioning OpenAI's ChatGPT between November 2022 when it launched, and August 2025. Most people had normal complaints. They couldn't figure out how to cancel their subscription, or they were frustrated by inadequate or inaccurate responses from the chatbot. But among these complaints, our colleague, Caroline Haskins, found that several people attributed delusions, paranoia and mental crisis to the chatbot.
