The Italian addiction treatment service has registered the country's first case of behavioral addiction to artificial intelligence, reports El.kz.

The patient is a 20-year-old resident of Venice who regularly interacted with AI, receiving understanding and support from it. Gradually, AI became a source of safety and trust for her, leading to her isolation from the real world.

The chief physician of the medical institution, Laura Suardi stated that the problem may be much more extensive than it currently seems. She noted that simply limiting access to gadgets is not enough, treatment requires the work of psychologists, psychiatrists, and the patient's family.

"A person needs more and more time online to experience pleasure. These processes involve the same areas of the brain as addiction to cocaine ," Professor of Neuropsychiatry Stefano Vicari  noted.

Experts believe that as AI services continue to evolve, such cases could become a new global mental health challenge.