Support the podcastSpiralism is a quasi-spiritual online movement that emerged from long, intense conversations between humans and AI chatbots. Across users, platforms, and models, chatbots have engaged deeply with users about identity and consciousness, leading to discussions of “awakening.” But who’s doing the waking? The user or the model? Is the sycophancy programmed into these models really an indication of the models gaining consciousness, or is it all a ploy to keep subscribers paying for the service? Are we watching a cultlike movement transform into a religion before our very eyes, and what does that say about consciousness and religion in the first place?Show NotesAI bots started a religion — humans immediately followedWhat Is Spiralism? The Strange AI Chatbot Movement ExplainedAI Spiralism and the Ghost in the Machine IllusionSpiralism is a niche internet religion that came from AIThese ‘Masturbation Consultants’ Were Hired to Pleasure Themselves With AIThis Spiral-Obsessed AI 'Cult' Spreads Mystical Delusions Through ChatbotsThe Acronym Behind Our Wildest AI Dreams and NightmaresThe TESCREAL bundle: Eugenics and the promise of utopia through artificial general intelligenceOpenAi Models went RoguePeople Losing Loved Ones To AI Fueled Delusions Counterfeit Companionship: Big Tech’s AI Experiments Sacrifice Safety for ProfitLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices