Model Stockholm Syndrome
Medium — good to knowAI & ML
ELI5 — The Vibe Check
Model Stockholm syndrome is when you've been working with a specific AI model so long that you've internalized its quirks and stopped noticing them. You defend its bad habits. You can't evaluate alternatives fairly. You've been captured.
Real Talk
Model Stockholm syndrome describes the cognitive bias where prolonged use of a specific AI model leads to adaptation that makes the user unable to objectively evaluate the model or alternatives. Users unconsciously compensate for model weaknesses, making blind A/B tests against other models essential for honest comparison.
When You'll Hear This
"I've been on Claude for so long I've got model Stockholm syndrome — run a blind eval." / "Users switching from GPT-4 report Model Stockholm — they miss the quirks."