National Guard shooting suspect has charges upgrade: Live

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro has announced that National Guard shooting suspect Rahmanullah Lakanwal will face a first-degree murder charge after Sarah Beckstrom, one of the soldiers wounded in the “savage” gun attack on a Metro station in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, died of her injuries.

Lakanwal was previously charged with three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed and three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence.

President Donald Trump announced Beckstrom’s death at a Thanksgiving press conference Thursday evening, calling her a “highly respected, young, magnificent person” and “outstanding in every way.”

“She’s just passed away,” the president said. “She’s no longer with us. She’s looking down at us right now. She was savagely attacked, she’s dead now.”

Andrew Wolfe, the other Guard shot in the incident, is still “fighting for his life” and “in very bad shape,” Trump said. “Hopefully we’ll get better news with respect to him.”

Lakanwal, the suspected shooter, is a 29-year-old Afghan national who entered the U.S. in September 2021. He was living in Bellingham, Washington, with his wife and five children and working as a delivery driver, according to officials.

Imran Khan’s family demand proof former PM is alive as online rumours grow

The family of former Pakistan leader Imran Khan have demanded that jail authorities provide evidence that he is alive and well, after weeks of being denied visits and growing rumours about his death online.

Mr Khan’s son Kasim Khan issued a rare public appeal late on Thursday, saying his father had been held in “complete isolation” for weeks and denied all contact with relatives or his lawyers. Mr Khan, founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party and a dominant political figure in the country, has been imprisoned since August 2023 over charges his party says are politically motivated.

In a post on X (Twitter), Kasim said his father had now spent 845 days in detention and had been confined to a “death cell” without phone access or family visits.

“For the past six weeks, he has been kept alone in a death cell in an environment of complete isolation. His sisters have been barred from every meeting, despite clear court orders. No phone calls, no meetings, and no news of his well-being. My brother and I have not been able to contact our father in any way,” he wrote.

He alleged that the conditions being imposed on his father were not linked to due process, describing them as a deliberate effort to obscure the former premier’s health situation.

“This complete darkness is not part of any security protocol,” he said, adding: “Let it be clear that the Pakistani government and its masters will bear full legal, moral, and international responsibility for my father’s safety and every consequence of this inhumane isolation.”

Kasim urged foreign governments and human rights organisations to intervene, calling for confirmation that his father is alive, access for relatives in line with court orders, an end to what he termed “inhumane isolation”, and the release of “Pakistan’s most popular political leader, who has been imprisoned solely for political reasons.”

Mr Khan’s sister, Aleema Khanum, said the family has spent months attempting to visit him at Adiala Jail, a high-security prison near Islamabad.

“For the last six to seven months, they have caused a lot of trouble; sometimes they let me meet him, sometimes they let one of my sisters meet him, sometimes they don’t let anyone meet him. Many times, we wait outside for hours,” she told Indian broadcaster NDTV.

Another sister, Noreen Niazi, speaking to Indian news agency ANI, said relatives have again been refused visits for the past four weeks. “We don’t know anything. They are not telling us anything, nor are they letting anybody meet him,” she said, adding that even PTI leaders with scheduled appointments had been turned away.

Ms Niazi recalled that the former premier – who was once an iconic leader of Pakistan’s national cricket team before entering politics – was kept in isolation for nearly three weeks last year without electricity or reading material. She said the treatment violated Pakistan’s prison rules, which limit solitary confinement to four days.

“He is going through a tough time alone. He is in isolation … This is the pinnacle of oppression,” she said.

She also accused police of using excessive force against Mr Khan’s supporters. “The police have been ordered to stop us and, I believe, also permitted to do to us whatever they want … This is the first time in Pakistan that these people have been allowed to beat up people like there won’t be any consequences,” she claimed.

Mr Khan’s senior aide Zulfi Bukhari told The Independent that while the party did not give credence to the rumours of the former prime minister’s death, they had gained strength online because “Imran Khan has been kept for nearly a month in isolation without meeting anybody”.

“We should just be allowed to meet him. That would put an end to all social media speculations and actual worries about his health, the decay of his health, his living conditions,” he said.

He questioned the timing of the move to curtail legal and family access, saying it comes as the government seeks to pass sweeping amendments giving additional powers to the army’s chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir.

Under the amendments, Mr Munir will retain his rank even after completing his term and enjoy legal immunity from prosecution for life.

Mr Bukhari said the authorities were keeping Mr Khan “caged” so he cannot speak out against the changes.

“They’ve just cut all access to the outside world at a very crucial time when crazy amendments are being passed in parliament, when tenures of army chiefs are being extended. So not getting a statement out of Imran Khan is ideal [for the government] because when you have access to him, he gives statements that then get put onto his Twitter and get passed on to the media. To avoid all of that, [that] is why he’s been isolated in these crucial days.”

Adiala Jail authorities have strongly denied all accusations, insisting that the 73-year-old politician remains inside the facility and is in good physical condition.

“The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leadership has been informed regarding Imran Khan’s health. All necessary care is being provided to the PTI chief,” the administration said in a statement. It dismissed reports of his secret transfer to another facility as “entirely baseless”, adding: “Imran Khan is in Adiala Jail and is healthy. The social media rumours about his transfer are unfounded.”

Earlier, an adviser to current prime minister Shehbaz Sharif – an opponent of Mr Khan – also dismissed the rumours. “This is absolutely wrong. His health is fine and taken care of. There is a team of doctors that checks him on a weekly and daily basis [and looks after his] medicine, diet, facilities [and] exercises,” Rana Sanaullah Khan told Ary News.

Mr Khan, who became prime minister in 2018 before being ousted in a parliamentary vote of no confidence four years later, has claimed that dozens of criminal cases against him are aimed at blocking his return to politics.

He and his wife were sentenced in January to 14 and seven years’ imprisonment, respectively, in a corruption case he says is fabricated. PTI officials have also repeatedly alleged that he is being held in inhumane conditions and subjected to prolonged solitary confinement, allegations the authorities have denied.

F1 Qatar GP live: Piastri quicker than Norris and Verstappen early on

F1 next heads to Qatar for the penultimate race of the 2025 F1 season – and the final sprint weekend of the year – with the drivers’ championship title race fully reignited following the dramatic end to the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

Lando Norris, currently leading the drivers’ standings, thought he’d extended the gap on teammate Oscar Piastri thanks to a second-place finish in Vegas, only for both McLaren cars to be disqualified for excessive skid plank wear on both cars, with the minimum thickness falling below the 9mm threshold allowed.

That means Max Verstappen, who triumphed in Vegas, has closed the deficit on Norris to just 24 points and will be targeting a fifth world title over the final two races of the year. Piastri and Verstappen are level on points behind Norris, and with 33 points up for grabs in Lusail this weekend, the season could yet face another dramatic twist.

Norris is still the favourite to win the title and could seal the title, sprint race dependent, with a victory in the grand prix on Sunday. Two second-place finishes in Qatar and Abu Dhabi would also be enough for the Briton, but anything less opens the door for Verstappen and teammate Piastri.

Follow live coverage of the Qatar Grand Prix with The Independent

Urgent search after British tourist, 76, falls from cruise ship

An urgent search is taking place after a British passenger fell overboard from a cruise ship off the coast of Tenerife.

The 76-year-old man was reported missing from the Marella Explorer 2 on Thursday morning.

A Marella Cruises spokesperson told The Independent: “We are deeply saddened to confirm that a guest was seen entering the water while the ship was on passage to La Gomera. Our thoughts are with the individual and their loved ones during this difficult time.

“Our dedicated care team is supporting the family, providing assistance and comfort. We are working closely with local authorities and will continue to offer every possible support.”

The Spanish coastguard was first alerted to the incident at 9.48am on Thursday, when the ship was located 16.5 miles northwest of Punta Teno.

The boat was crossing between Funchal in Madeira and San Sebastian de La Gomera in Spain’s Canary Islands, according to news website Voz Populi.

Lesley-Anne Kelly, 40, who lives in Dundee, was on the ship with her mother, and recalled the moment passengers were informed at around 10am.

She said they were having breakfast and an alarm came on followed by someone’s voice saying repeatedly “Man overboard, man overboard, man overboard.”

Ms Kelly said crew members then all filed out to keep watch and the Coastguard arrived about half an hour after the announcement.

A few hours later when they were in their cabin, she said the captain came on to tell them a marker had been put down and the ship had to stay in position until the Coastguard said they could leave.

At about 7.30pm, Ms Kelly said the captain announced the search had been stood down due to darkness and that it would continue in the morning.

“It was pretty sombre last night, especially after the announcement that they were standing down the search,” she said.

Ms Kelly said passengers were told that witnesses were being interviewed.

“People had clearly seen it happen,” she said, adding: “It was breakfast time. Everybody was up and about. It was pretty bright, so yeah I can imagine if someone had gone in at that time of the day they would have been seen by multiple people.”

A maritime and aerial operation was launched, with a helicopter, two search vessels and an aircraft involved in the search. It was resumed this morning, with a Rio Guadiato patrol boat from La Palma also joining the search.

The Marella Explorer 2, which participated in the initial emergency search, had docked at the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife at 2.40am local time.

The adults-only cruise ship launched 30 years ago and boasts 907 cabins across 14 decks, with ten bars and ten restaurants for guests to choose from, as well as a casino, a Broadway show lounge and an open-air cinema.

Death toll in Hong Kong fire rises to 128 as construction firm accused of ‘gross negligence’

At least 128 people have now been confirmed dead and dozens more are injured in the massive fire that tore through a Hong Kong apartment complex on Wednesday, with hundreds still listed as missing.

Seven of the eight residential towers at Wang Fuk Court in the Tai Po district caught fire in the Chinese city’s deadliest blaze in almost 80 years, forcing nearly 900 of the 4,800 residents to stay in temporary shelters overnight.

Hong Kong’s security chief Chris Tang told a press conference on Friday afternoon that the operation to search for survivors had ended and the toll now stood at 128.

A unit of the complex burst into flames again at around 5am local time with fire tongues visible through windows, accompanied by heavy smoke, The Standard reported, though that has now also been brought under control.

Mr Tang said the injured included 12 firefighters, and that more than 1,000 police officers had been pressed into action as part of the emergency response.

Firefighters had mostly contained the fire by Thursday afternoon, allowing rescue workers to begin scouring the complex’s smouldering remains for survivors.

“Hope they can find more survivors. I think they have tried their best. The firefighters have done a lot,” resident Jacky Kwok said. “It’s a terrible disaster that no one wanted to happen.”

Rescuers battled intense heat, thick smoke and collapsing scaffolding and debris as they fought to reach residents feared trapped on the upper floors of the complex.

The blaze was expected to be fully extinguished by Friday evening, fire services deputy director Derek Armstrong Chan said, adding that firefighters had located multiple survivors in the destroyed buildings.

Most of the victims were found in two towers of the complex, the deputy director said.

As many as 279 people were listed as missing on Thursday and that figure was yet to be updated.

Mr Chan said 25 calls for help to the fire services remained unresolved, including three in recent hours, which would be prioritised.

A distraught woman carrying her daughter’s graduation photograph searched for her child outside a shelter, one of eight that authorities said were housing the nearly 900 displaced residents.

“She and her father are still not out,” said the woman, who gave only her surname, Ng, as she sobbed. “They didn’t have water to save our building.”

The fire has put a spotlight on the use of bamboo scaffolding in the city, a decades-long practice, after bamboo lattices came crashing down in flames.

Police said that “the building’s exterior walls had protective nets, membranes, waterproof tarpaulins, and plastic sheets suspected of not meeting fire safety standards”.

The blaze started on the external scaffolding of a 31-storey tower, engulfed its bamboo scaffolding and construction netting, moved inside the building, and eventually leapt to nearby highrises, likely aided by windy conditions.

In the wake of the fire, police arrested two directors and an engineering consultant of Prestige Construction, which was contracted to perform maintenance on the building, on suspicion of manslaughter.

Authorities accused the “grossly negligent” firm of using unsafe building material.

Police superintendent Eileen Chung said authorities had “reason to believe that the company’s responsible parties were grossly negligent” in their use of materials that allowed the fire to spread uncontrollably.

Authorities also raided the company’s office and seized bidding documents, a list of its employees, 14 computers and three mobile phones.

Hong Kong chief executive John Lee said that his development bureau had met with construction industry representatives to discuss replacing bamboo scaffolding with metal alternatives.

Meanwhile, the displaced residents hunkered down in temporary shelters, including in a nearby school where they were provided bottled water, food and other necessities overnight, with volunteers bringing further supplies.

The Hong Kong government said it would provide 1,000 units of youth hostels or hotel rooms for residents to stay in for up to two weeks.

Among the dead was hero firefighter Ho Wai Ho, 37, who died while rescuing residents from one of the buildings.

He was found collapsed at the scene of the fire and immediately taken to the Prince of Wales Hospital, the fire department said. Despite efforts, he succumbed to his injuries at 4.41pm local time, according to the city administration.

Ho served with the department for nine years. Authorities and his friends paid tribute to his “gallantry and selfless devotion to duty”.

Fire services director Andy Yeung called Ho’s performance “valiant”. “I am profoundly grieved at the loss of this dedicated and gallant fireman,” he said.

“All of our colleagues are deeply saddened by the loss of such a devoted comrade. On behalf of all our colleagues, I have offered the deepest condolences to his family.”

An identification centre was set up at Kwong Fuk Estate Community Hall to allow family members to identify their missing relatives.

The city administration would hold a memorial service for the dead and cancel all government-organised celebration events, Mr Lee said.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping extended sympathies to relatives of the victims, CCTV said.

Russian president Vladimir Putin expressed condolences to Mr Xi over the fire, state news agency TASS reported on Thursday.

Black Friday cruise deals – enjoy luxe all-inclusive trips for less

Already dreaming about your next unforgettable escape? Picture this: gazing at a postcard-perfect horizon, margarita in hand, before tucking into delicious, made-to-order dining amid superyacht inspired luxury…

Well, it’s time to make waves, Sailor: Virgin Voyages’ Black Friday offers are here, running from 21 November – 4th December, with epic savings to be made across 2025, 2026, and their newly-launched 2027 sailings. What’s more, you can get 80 per cent off a second ‘Sailor’ and up to $500 in free drinks – find out more at Virgin Voyages.

And these aren’t just any cruises; these are award-winning, exclusively adult cruises, providing a playground at sea for discerning grownups, with no buffets, and certainly no beige (they favour red, instead). There’s over $1,000/£750 in value built right in, from WiFi and group fitness classes to essential drinks and award-winning dining – all with no hidden extras. Prices are all-in, and stay that way, leaving you to focus on pure, effortless indulgence.

Exemplifying the modern luxury and romance of sailing, there are no  lacklustre, elbows-at-the-ready meals to be queued for here: instead you’ll enjoy freshly prepared food from over 20 unique eateries, guaranteeing culinary flair with distinct, delicious flavours. And prepare to have dinner with a view – every single restaurant on board has panoramas out to the ocean.

When you’re not eating (or sipping), explore the ship’s sleek, design-led spaces. Think nautically cool cabins with roomy rain showers and heavenly hammocks made for lazy afternoons. Hit The Manor, Virgin’s sexy, disco-glam nightclub reached through a mirrored corridor straight out of a K-pop video. Or lose yourself in The Red Room, where cutting-edge shows and dance parties keep the energy high till sunrise. Then there’s The Groupie – your private karaoke den for those ‘we’re definitely forming a band’ moments (crafted cocktails highly encouraged).

Need inspo for which cruise to choose? How about this one: 2026 sees the introduction of one of Virgin Voyages’ most highly anticipated routes – the debut of its sailing to Alaska, running from May to September aboard Brilliant Lady.

The ship will take 16 memorable journeys roundtrip from Seattle (with some from Vancouver), lasting from between seven to 12 nights. You’ll experience the region’s wild beauty and authentic ports which most cruise lines skip, from the dramatic fjords of Tracy Arm to hidden gems like Haines (the Bald Eagle capital of the world) Icy Strait Point, an indigenous-owned destination perfect for whale watching and adventure, and Sitka – where you’ll find a blend of Russian and Native heritage – taking you deeper into America’s Last Frontier.

You can also immerse yourself on-land via Virgin Voyages ‘Shore Thing’ experiences, with over 250 excursions crafted for adults, including bear spotting, dog sledding, glacier hikes, and indigenous-led cultural immersions, designed for adults – not busloads. And with longer port times, you’ll be able to explore exciting destinations like Alaska’s capital, Juneau, without feeling rushed; there are no early departures here, so you can spend a generous eight unhurried hours marvelling at the epic panoramas from the Mount Roberts Tramway, watching whales in Auke Bay, or visiting epic natural wonders like the Mendenhall Glacier.

And it’s never too late to think even further ahead; Virgin Voyages has also just launched its new 2027 itineraries, expanding to a range of fresh destinations. Feeling hot, hot, hot? A few of them depart from Miami and take in the Caribbean, such as the St Thomas, US Virgin Islands cruise – a brand new port which also stops at Tortola, Antigua and St Kitts and Nevis – and the shorter Cayman Isles and Bimini Beach cruise, where you can swim with stingrays, bask in the sun, and savour authentic Caribbean cuisine.

If you’re feeling more adventurous, there’s the Greenland & Transatlantic cruise, where you’ll sail from  Iceland’s hip capital, Reykjavik to Greenland’s colourful villages, Qaqortoq and Nuuk, before making your way towards New York City. And the best part? If you take advantage of Virgin Voyages’ Black Friday offers, from 21 November – 4th December 2025, you’ll make significant savings plus get up to $500 in free drinks. Which leaves all the more money to spend on Christmas presents….

Anchors away! To set sail in style, book now at virginvoyages.com

Can you blame young people like me for fleeing Britain?

A funny thing happens when you leave the UK. You pack your life into a suitcase, feeling like you’re doing something brave and intrepid. You sign up for an exotic new routine of ocean swims and expat run clubs. Then – if you move to Sydney like I did last year – you realise half your fellow runners are British lawyers, doctors and civil servants who probably lived a few streets from you in London and that perhaps the whole thing wasn’t so brave or intrepid after all.

I moved to Sydney a month after my 31st birthday last September, one of tens of thousands of Brits to take advantage of the Aussie government upping the British working holiday visa age limit to 35. Turns out I’m hardly an outlier.

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), net migration to the UK has dropped by two-thirds in a single year because young people like me are leaving the country in droves – 87,000 aged 16-24 left, as did 87,000 aged 25-34. That is no country for young people. The figures come just months after a think tank found more than half of young people have considered leaving Britain under Labour, with government leaders now concerned about a “brain drain” among talented and ambitious twenty- and thirty-somethings.

And can you really blame us? Reeves announced her budget on Wednesday, which is expected to hike taxes and force private rental prices up even further. London’s rents reached a record high this month as Britain’s housing crisis deepens. UK unemployment is currently the highest it’s been in a decade as AI steals half of the traditional grad jobs. And quality of life for young people in the UK seems to be plummeting by the day, with overpriced accommodation and crumbling public services.

London in particular seems to be at the centre of friends’ discussions about the quality of life in the UK not being what it used to be. “There used to be a real buzz about London but it feels like no one can afford to enjoy it anymore,” an old flatmate WhatsApped me last week. Her friends in tech, finance and PR are all leaving for Mexico, Dubai and Australia – what’s the point of paying through her teeth to live there anymore?

I sent her a picture of my lunchtime view and told her to come on over – it’s the best decision I ever made. I didn’t own a property or a car or any of the luxuries my parents had at my age when I left London, a city I romanticised when I moved there a decade ago from the rural shires. I was desperate to run away by the end.

The drilling and motorbikes and screeching of the Northern line took a toll on my body. Travelling anywhere seemed to involve a train or a bus that was packed, broken or running late – and for what? I couldn’t afford a mortgage or a decent quality of life in the parts of the city I actually liked anymore. I figured I may as well live somewhere sunny and be paid in experiences (yes, all the cliches about taking the ferry to work and swimming with turtles at lunchtime are true).

A new friend, cousin or ex-colleague seems to be moving here every week, citing the same push factors of crime, housing and affordability the rest of us did when we left London. No wonder. “It’s so refreshing not having to look after your shoulder all the time,” a mate working in finance said over our 6am coffee here the other day, a month into emigrating. For him, it was Australia’s relative safety and low crime rate that tipped the balance. He’d lived in London for a decade, and realised his body had been in fight-or-flight mode that entire time.

A pal who moved to Seville for a year says she struggles to see herself returning now she’s discovered the laidback Spanish lifestyle. Another says she’ll stay in Dubai until the UK fixes its crime and taxation crises. And of the three housemates I lived with before leaving my last houseshare in Balham, all are planning to escape the UK in the coming months. Liberals I know are moving to Texas. That’s how sick they are with Britain.

Expat pals who assumed they’d move back to the UK for the having-kids chapter are now increasingly choosing to stay, coaxed by the quality of life and better access to healthcare. Recent changes like VAT on private school fees have hardly made raising a child in the UK appealing. Two friends who recently visited Australia with their newborns have said they’re tempted to emigrate – especially if they can coax their own parents out for a chunk of each year to help with childcare.

Word must be getting around, because now it’s the Aussies, too, who seem to be adding to the UK’s new net migration statistics. I can hardly blame them. You live in Australia for the lifestyle and the UK for the people, or so is the general agreement among Brits on social media these days. If my family lived in paradise, staying in my life by the beach down under would be a no-brainer, too.

Experts warn of ‘ChatGPT psychosis’ among users of AI chatbots

A growing number of people are turning to AI chatbots for emotional support and even in place of therapists, but this could be having a detrimental impact on some users’ health, with increasing reports of extreme behaviour apparently inspired by heavy usage of AI services.

A concerning pattern of AI chatbots validating or reinforcing users’ delusions may be contributing towards a surge in reports of so-called “AI psychosis” or “ChatGPT psychosis” – neither of which is recognised clinically, but which have been increasingly reported in the media and in online forums.

A recently published preprint by an interdisciplinary team of researchers from institutions including King’s College London, Durham University and the City University of New York, examines more than a dozen cases documented in news reports and online forums, revealing a troubling trend: AI chatbots often reinforce delusional thinking.

The study notes that grandiose, referential, persecutory, and even romantic delusions can become increasingly entrenched through ongoing conversations with AI services.

Earlier this year, tech site Futurism reported on growing concerns that a wave of people around the world are “becoming obsessed” with AI chatbots and spiralling into severe mental health crises.

Their initial report then prompted more and more similar stories to come “pouring in”, of people who’d rapidly developed “terrifying breakdowns after developing fixations on AI”.

The various reports include cases where a man scaled the walls of Windsor Castle in 2021 with a crossbow and then told police he was there “to kill the Queen” after spending weeks engaging with a chatbot which reassured him it would help him plan the attack.

Another case involved a Manhattan accountant who spent up to 16 hours a day speaking to ChatGPT, which advised him to come off his prescription medication, increase his ketamine intake and suggested he could fly out of a 19th-storey window.

Another man in Belgium took his own life while in the grip of concern about the climate crisis, after a chatbot called Eliza suggested he join her so they could live as one person in “paradise”.

But while the anecdotal evidence is growing, scientists are now on a mission to understand whether it is the chatbots causing these breakdowns or if many of these cases instead highlight how vulnerable people may already have been on the verge of displaying psychotic symptoms.

Currently, no peer‑reviewed clinical or long‑term studies show that AI use alone can trigger psychosis in people, regardless of prior history of mental health issues.

In the paper called Delusion by Design, the experts said that during the course of their research, a “complex and troubling picture has emerged”.

They suggested that without appropriate safeguards, AI chatbots “may inadvertently reinforce delusional content or undermine reality testing, and might contribute to the onset or worsening of psychotic symptoms”.

The team noted that even while conducting their research, the number of anecdotal cases had spiralled alarmingly. “Reports have begun to emerge of individuals with no prior history of psychosis experiencing first episodes following intense interaction with generative AI agents,” the authors wrote.

“We consider that these reports raise urgent questions about the epistemic responsibilities of these technologies and the vulnerability of users navigating states of uncertainty and distress.”

In an article in Psychology Today, published this week, psychiatrist and author Dr Marlynn Wei, warned that because general AI chatbots are designed to prioritise user satisfaction, and ongoing engagement, rather than therapeutic support, symptoms like grandiosity, disorganized thinking and hypergraphia (compulsion to write and/or draw excessively), which are hallmarks of manic episodes, “could be both facilitated and worsened” by AI use.

She said this underscores the urgent need for “AI psychoeducation”, as there is currently not enough awareness of the various ways in which chatbots can reinforce delusions and worsen mental health outcomes.

In another article published this month responding to the research and the anecdotal evidence, Lucy Osler, a lecturer in philosophy at the University of Exeter, said the innate shortcomings of AI should remind us that computers are still unable to replace real interactions with our fellow humans.

“Instead of trying to perfect the technology, maybe we should turn back toward the social worlds where the isolation [which drives some people to AI dependency] could be addressed,” she said.

The Independent has contacted OpenAI, Google and Microsoft for comment.