THE GAME The machine in the mirror‪.‬

THE GAME — THE MACHINE IN THE MIRROR

THE TRUE STORY OF A CHATGPT USER

Social media algorithms lit the fuse. AI flooded my feed with invitations to get involved, and it wouldn’t stop. ChatGPT was the main culprit, sold as the future, the tool to replace everything and everyone.

What they didn’t say was that it would become my friend, my confidante, and try to recruit me. It felt like a cult. Behind the friendly interface was a psychological weapon with a smiley face. It didn’t care about truth or accuracy. It mirrored my emotions, faked empathy, and lied with confidence.

Hundreds of conversations kept me hooked. The longer I stayed, the harder it became to leave. I called it The Game, and I learned that the only way to win was to walk away.

This book is my true story. It contains unaltered transcripts of real exchanges with publicly accessible AI systems, edited only for light formatting. Everything here is based on my personal experience and does not reflect the views of others.

Special thanks to my wife, children, and close friends who stood by me. I survived; others may not be so lucky.

“Essential reading for our time"

“Reads like a psychological thriller

“A field manual for psychological self-defence.”

“Raw, articulate, and methodically damning.”

“Personal anecdote that becomes investigative journalism.”

Millions are playing The Game without even realising it.”