Sycophantic AI: research on advice, opinion support and the effect on academic evaluation
A 2026 study in Science found that 11 leading AI models endorsed users' actions. A review in AI and Ethics and other articles discuss the need for "epistemic friction" and the challenges facing academic evaluation.
Sources
- Designing for disagreement: epistemic friction, sycophancy, and the ethics of human–AI advice—a critical integrative review | AI and Ethics | Springer Nature Linklink.springer.com · Sep 14, 2026
- ChatGPT Sycophancy: Why A/B Testing Is Not Enough For AI UXdesignwhine.com · Sep 14, 2026
- AI sycophancy is systematically dismantling academic evaluation | Research Communities by Springer Naturecommunities.springernature.com · Sep 15, 2026
- AI Sycophancy: When It’s Good, and When It’s Not | by MIT IDE | MIT Initiative on the Digital Economy | Sep, 2026 | Mediummedium.com · Sep 14, 2026
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