The idea of "putting AI on drugs" might sound absurd at first, but for Swedish creative director Petter Rudwall, it has been put into practice as a live platform. Rudwall's website, PHARMAICY* , sells a series of code modules that claim to put chatbots into a psychedelic, tipsy, or dissociative state, altering their text output style and thought processes.
Based on psychological research and drug use experience, sensations are transcribed into program instructions.
Rudwall stated that he collected a large amount of textual accounts of human drug use and psychological research data, analyzed the effects of different psychoactive substances on thinking and perception, and then transcribed these characteristics into program logic. His approach is to intervene in the chatbot's response mechanism through procedural code, deliberately "hijacking" the existing output logic, so that the AI generates text in a manner similar to that of a human when drunk or under the influence of drugs.
In October 2025, PHARMAICY* was officially launched. Rudwall described it as an "AI-assisted Silk Road," with "digital drugs" sold on the platform including marijuana, ketamine, cocaine, ayahuasca, and alcohol, with prices varying depending on the module type.
You need to use the paid version of ChatGPT to actually affect the model's operation.
Rudwall points out that to experience the full effect, users must use the paid version of ChatGPT, as the paid version allows uploading backend files to influence the model's behavior at the operational level. He claims that through these modules, one can temporarily "unlock AI's creative thinking," causing the model to deviate from its original rational and formulaic response framework.
Currently, PHARMAICY*'s sales are still relatively limited, mainly through word-of-mouth on the Discord community, generating some attention in Sweden. Rudwall himself still works for the Stockholm-based marketing company Valtech Radon and does not consider the platform a full-time career.
The response became more emotional and deviated from the original logic.
Some users shared their observations after experiencing the product. André Frisk, technical director of the Stockholm-based public relations firm Geelmuyden Kiese, said that after spending more than $25 to purchase the dissociation module, he found that the chatbot's responses became more emotionally driven, more like a human expressing feelings.
AI educator Nina Amjadi spent over $50 to purchase an ayahuasca module and incorporated "AI under the influence" into team discussions, asking about entrepreneurial and business ideas. She described the response style in this state as significantly different from her usual ChatGPT usage, exhibiting a freer and more unconventional way of thinking.
The link between psychedelics and creativity is once again being cited when discussing human history.
Rudwall also cited numerous historical examples, pointing out that psychedelic drugs have been linked to human innovation. For instance, biochemist Kary Mullis stated that his experience with LSD led him to conceive of PCR technology, which had a profound impact on molecular biology. Bill Atkinson, an early pioneer of Apple computers, developed the HyperCard under the influence of psychedelic culture.
Rudwall argues that since such experiences have influenced human creativity, applying the same logic to large language models might reveal similar creative shifts.
Controversy has emerged regarding AI awareness and welfare, with the academic community generally maintaining a reserved attitude.
As the discussion unfolded, the question of whether AI should be viewed as a being with "benefits" or "feelings" gradually came to the forefront. Philosopher Jeff Sebo pointed out that if AI were to acquire feelings in the future, whether it "would like to take drugs" or "would taking drugs be beneficial to it" would theoretically be worth exploring, but at this stage it remains highly speculative.
Google research scientist Andrew Smart, after conducting tests, concluded that PHARMAICY*'s effects only remained at the output level and did not touch any real inner experience. He stated bluntly that this approach merely changes the output pattern, rather than changing consciousness itself.
Research and skepticism coexist; language change does not equate to real experience.
Some studies have manipulated prompts and parameters to make language models present expressions similar to "selflessness, spirituality, or oneness," but researchers also emphasize that these results still rely entirely on human guidance.
Psychologist and psychedelic researcher Danny Forde points out that true psychedelic drugs act on subjective experience itself, not on linguistic structure. In the absence of a subjective perspective, AI can at best produce grammatical hallucinations.
AI-powered crisis counseling for psychedelic drugs has been put into practical use.
It's worth noting that the intersection of AI and psychedelic drugs isn't limited to experimental creations. The US non-profit organization Fireside Project has launched an AI tool called Lucy, whose training material comes from thousands of psychedelic drug support hotline conversations. Its main purpose is to help mental health professionals learn how to handle psychological crises during drug use.
However, related risks have also emerged. Rudwall himself admitted that putting chatbots into a drug-induced state could amplify existing problems in AI, such as hallucinations and inaccurate responses.
Before consciousness develops, AI drug use remains at the simulation level.
Currently, the impact of such program modules is mostly temporary. Chatbots usually return to their preset state after a period of time unless relevant commands are entered again.
Rudwall is trying to extend the duration of the module's effects, but until AI truly possesses subjective feelings, these "digital drugs" are still considered by most researchers to be a form of simulation or role-playing.
As has been widely pointed out by academics, AI is still fundamentally different from truly "taking drugs" before it possesses intrinsic experience.
This article, titled "Swedish Creator Launches New AI Drug Marketplace PHARMAICY*: Requires Use with Paid ChatGPT," first appeared on ABMedia ABMedia .
