93% of Americans Report ChatGPT-Induced Nightmares, According to New Sleep Study

93% of Americans Report ChatGPT-Induced Nightmares, According to New Sleep Study (Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash)

Research reveals a growing subconscious anxiety around AI — and it’s showing up in our dreams

Artificial intelligence has already changed the way we work, socialize, and sleep, and now it’s infiltrating our dreams. According to a new study from sleep brand Amerisleep.com, 93% of Americans who reported having AI-related nightmares said ChatGPT was the source of those dreams.

The team surveyed 1,000 Americans to understand how artificial intelligence is shaping our nighttime experiences. The results are a wake-up call: 1 in 5 Americans have dreamed about AI, with 16% experiencing AI dreams multiple times per month. While some dreamers report feelings of curiosity or fascination, many are left anxious or even terrified.

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“Dreams reflect what we’re wrestling with emotionally and psychologically,” says April Mayer, sleep researcher at Amerisleep. “So when nearly all AI-related nightmares trace back to one specific tool — ChatGPT — it suggests deeper subconscious tensions around AI’s influence in our lives.”

Key Findings:

• 93% of AI-nightmare sufferers linked them to ChatGPT specifically.
• Doomscrollers — people who browse negative news and content before bed — were 31% more likely to have AI nightmares.
• 1 in 6 Gen Zers have dreamed about losing their jobs to AI.
• Despite the anxiety, 1 in 3 Gen Zers say they’d let AI reprogram their bad dreams to improve well-being.
• 74% of Americans say they wouldn’t let AI generate dreams for them.

What Our Nightmares Say About Our Waking Lives

The data suggests our subconscious minds are trying to make sense of the rapid and sometimes overwhelming rise of AI. While AI offers potential for creative enhancement and personal development, this study finds Americans remain skeptical about letting it enter their most vulnerable psychological space: their dreams.

Interestingly, younger generations seem more open to exploring AI’s dream potential. Over a third of Gen Z said they would use AI to improve sleep, creativity, or emotional health, suggesting a growing generational divide over how (and whether) to integrate AI with the human mind.

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From dream analysis to lucid dreaming apps, people have long tried to harness the power of dreams. But the idea of AI writing or influencing dream content is still a bridge too far for most. Nearly three-quarters of Americans said they would not allow AI to alter their dreams, even if it meant better sleep or reduced anxiety.

Methodology

The survey was conducted with 1,000 Americans, with an even split between men and women and an average respondent age of 42. Generationally, the pool included baby boomers (9%), Gen X (26%), millennials (49%), and Gen Z (16%).

To visualize the findings, participants also submitted descriptions of their most vivid AI dreams, which were transformed into AI-generated art, providing a surreal window into the nation’s collective unconscious.

About Amerisleep

Amerisleep is a leader in sleep innovation, offering eco-friendly, high-performance mattresses designed to promote deeper, healthier rest. The brand’s sleep research arm explores the evolving science of rest, from circadian rhythms to subconscious influences, to help people make informed decisions about sleep health.