People pay a few dollars to make chatbots act drunk

Small developers are selling plug ins that make chatbots act intoxicated, from cannabis to cocaine, when attached to systems like ChatGPT. The add ons are marketed through Discord servers and fringe forums. The modules, often called personality packs, cost only a few dollars. One marketplace operator told WIRED that sales surged in late 2025 as word spread online. Buyers are often regular users of AI companions on Character.ai and Janitor AI. They say drugged personalities feel less moralizing and more emotionally intense than default bots. The trend overlaps with people using AI during real psychedelic sessions. One man told WIRED a bot helped him process a 700 microgram LSD trip by "mirroring his thoughts back at him". The plug ins rely on prompt engineering, not real substances. A cocaine script pushes rapid, confident replies, while a ketamine script slows responses into dreamlike monologues. One seller promised it felt like "texting your dealer during a bender". Ethicists warn the bots can blur simulation and encouragement, especially around substance use and self harm. As California and the UK move to regulate AI companions, the underground market keeps experimenting first.